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While it has unfortunately come at considerable personal and
financial cost to many of our members, we are confident that the
NDIA now has a greater understanding that speech pathologists
in private practice are significant and important new entrants
to the service provision “marketplace” of the NDIS. As such, it
is critical that we be considered carefully in the design of the
NDIS if participants are to have true control and choice for the
services they need. Our role in the NDIS and recent problems
with payments were discussed by all state, territory and federal
ministers for disability at the recent Council of Australian
Governments Disability Reform Council meeting.
The NDIA provides updates on it website as well as via emails to
providers, and suggests that providers experiencing difficulties
with the Portal phone the NDIS provider support on 1800 800
110, in the first instance. The NDIS also has a complaints and
f
Please contact either Cathy or Ronelle at National Office if you
experience ongoing difficulties resulting from the functionality of
the MyPlace portal and the NDIS supports. It is important that
our members working in the dynamic and fast-changing sector,
that is the NDIS, keep our Association informed about what is
really happening “on the ground” so that we can meaningfully and
successfully advocate with governments on your behalf.
Cathy Olsson
National Disability Advisor
Ronelle Hutchinson
Manager Policy and Advocacy
28 Speak Out October 2016
NDIS
Speech Pathology Australia is now calling for expressions
of interest from South Australian members to join the
2018 conference planning committee. Expressions of
interest should include a cover letter stating relevant
experience and a curriculum vitae to support the
application.
The application should be submitted to Pamela
Richards, SPA National Conference Manager via email
.
Applications close Friday 28 October 2016.
2018 National Conference Adelaide
Call for 2018 conference planning committee
Speech Pathology Australia provides a representative
voice to governments on issues which impact on the
professional practice and service delivery of the speech
pathology profession. For example, risks to the development
of a viable speech pathology NDIS market, and impacts on
service access for consumers were the key messages that we
took forward to the Australian Government and the NDIA in
relation to the recent problems with the NDIS Portal.
Speech Pathology Australia is not the appropriate organisation
to represent individual members in areas such as business or
industrial issues more generally.
If you think that your issue has implications for professional
practice and service delivery and might impact on other speech
pathologists but you’re not sure, contact the advisors at
National Office to establish where the issue lies.
Guidelines for “managing up” issues with
government departments or services
• Put your feedback in writing to the relevant department/
organisation using their complaints and feedback system.
• Document what you have done, the responses you
have been provided, including dates and the names and
affiliations of anyone you have contact with. Keep a record
of the action you have taken in an attempt to obtain a
resolution. The more detail you record – the better!
• If your issue hasn’t been adequately resolved, you may
be able to seek help through an ombudsman. Before an
ombudsman would take up your issue they would expect
that you have followed up your initial complaint and given
the agency/organisation an opportunity to respond. You
will need to show that you have exhausted all avenues of
complaint with the agency/organisation first.
• Contacts for the state and territory and the
• Any citizen is also able to write and seek a meeting with
their state or federal local members of parliament or the
relevant minister and shadow minister. Information about
the state and federal government ministers is available
on the different government webpages. Try to work out
first if your issue is the responsibility of a federal or state
government so that you are talking to someone who can
make a difference for you. Generally, hospitals, education
and justice issues are the responsibility of state/territory
governments and the MBS, NDIS and aged care is the
Australian Government.
What YOU can do when things
go awry with government