JCPSLP
Volume 16, Number 2 2014
53
In addition, all BIRU SLPs (100%, n = 8) reported they
were involved in family meetings as a standard part of BIRU
services, which included providing information/education,
discussing behaviour management, providing rehabilitation
Table 1. Identified service gaps in SLP BIRU
services
Work
practice
BIRU
SLPs
Suggested activities
Service
delivery
37.5% Increased staffing for increased
service provision
Provide therapy in patient’s home with
significant others/children
Home visits
Facilitation of transition home
Liaison with employer or school
Follow up services post discharge
Therapy
services/
interventions
37.5% Social network training
Social skills training
Increased community based
interventions
Increased functional activities
Increased links with the MDT/IDT to
facilitate incorporating SLP goals into
team sessions/groups
Family based
services
25% Increased interventions with families/
children
Better access to families
Education
25% To staff
To families
Support SLP colleagues (acute, rural)
in managing patients with ABI
No response
to question
12.5% Nil
No service
gaps identified
50% Nil
IDT = interdisciplinary team; MDT = multidisciplinary team
Table 2. Utilisation of additional SLP services in
BIRU
Work practice
BIRU
SLPs
Suggested activities
Patient therapy
services
87.5% Increased interventions/intensity/
daily therapy
More groups
Trials of new therapies
Review/change
service delivery
50% Home visits
Facilitating transitions
Practising skills in home
environment with children
Better access to families for therapy
Resource
development
25% Not specified
Research
25% Not specified
Projects/quality
activities
25% Not specified
Education
25% Clients/families/carers
Improve staff
support
25% Supervision
Education
Acute and regional staff
Completion of
non-clinical tasks
12.5% Not specified
Additional
staffing not
required
12.5% Nil
Patient Education – Informal
Patient Education – Formal (SP specific)
Patient Education – Formal (general BI)
Family Education – Informal
Family Education – Formal (SP specific)
Family Education – Formal (general BI)
Education/Support to other SPs (BI/pt management)
Advocacy for pts with severe communication impairment
Community/transition services
Workplace/CRS
School/TAFE/Study
Adult Guardian
Activity Type
Figure 1. Education, Advocacy & Liaison
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
% BIRU SP services
No
Yes – if required
Yes – regular service
BI = brain injury; Pt = patient; CRS = Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service
updates and progress reports, setting goals, discussing
goal attainment, rehabilitation planning and discharge
planning.
Service gaps and enhancement
BIRU SLPs were asked to identify any “gaps in their current
service” and/or “ideas for service enhancement / novel
services”, with responses via free text. Four BIRU SLP
