SpeakOut
April 2014
9
spotlightonProfessionalsupport
What is your background as a
speechpathologist?
I trained inWesternAustralia and
spent timeworking in the city aswell
as the country for the first five years
after graduation.Whileworking in
theKimberley region ofWA, I metmy
husband and eventuallymoved to
Wentworth in far westernNSW. I have
spent the last 12 yearsworking in and
aroundMildura, Victoria. My clinical
experience ismixed, although strongly
based in community health service
delivery. I am interested in complex
communication needs and rural and
remote practice.
How longhave youbeen supervising
speechpathologists?
I have engaged in informal mentoring
with other speech pathologists over the
last few years. This ismy first experience
as an external clinical supervisor. I
also have experience supervising
undergraduate speech pathologists.
How longhave youbeen supervising
speechpathologists as an external
supervisor?
Not long! Since the beginning of this
year, although planning commenced
towards the end of 2013.We are really
just commencing our supervision
“journey”.
Howdid this happenandwhat are
the structures andprocesses to
support thismodel of supervision?
TheAlliedHealth Team Leader at
SunraysiaCommunityHealthServices,
the employing community health
agency, approachedme during the
second half of 2013 as theywere
havingdifficulty recruiting into aGrade
2 vacancy. Theywere considering
employing a new graduate but
recognised that therewould need
tobe a strong clinical supervision
framework in place todo this. My own
10 years experienceworkingwith the
agency putme in a goodposition to
be able toprovide not only the clinical
aspect of supervision, but also support
in understanding the setting and
community partners. These experiences
are constantly drawn on during
supervision sessions. The support
providedby SunraysiaCommunity
HealthServices in formalising the
structure, guiding the process through
an agency-wide clinical supervision
procedure, providing templates for
tracking sessions, contracts and goal-
setting andbeing on the end of the
phone to answer initial set-upquestions
has been critical for helping usmove
seamlessly into active, regular clinical
supervision sessions.
What do you see as key issues
regardingprofessional support
in rural areas?
Positions in rural and remotepractice
continue tobeprimarily “sole therapist”
and rural speechpathologistsbecome
quite innovativewithwaysof achieving
professional support. Timeand
critical mass are key issues affecting
speechpathologists inboth rural
andmetropolitanareas, however in
rural and remotepractice, distance
plays aprohibitive role for accessing
professional development and face-to-
face support. Advances in technology
havemuch improved this situation, for
examplewebinars and reduced rates
for accessingonline (post-conference)
workshops areexcellent options now
onoffer.Metropolitanagencieswho
arededicatedand responsive in their
support of speechpathologists across
the statealsoplay a key role. Additionally,
I have found that engagingwithour
local networkof speechpathologists,
whether attendingmonthly gatherings,
maintainingemail contact, having
regular “go-to” therapists, or attending
theannual Christmasdinner, is crucial
for feelingconnectedand sharingnew
learningandexperiences. Over time,
any awkwardness related tobeingnew
toanarea, or recently graduated, is
transcendedby the familiarity that comes
with long-term local networking. Although
my ownattendanceat our local monthly
meetings hasbeen verypoor over the
last few years (acombinationof being
amother to threeboys and livingona
propertywell out of town), I continue
tophone, email and text other local
(andmetropolitan!) speechpathologists
regularly. Ongoing support by employers,
or finding the time if workingprivately,
remain key issues to the successof these
largely unfunded, self-drivengroups. I feel
reallypleased tobeable tooffer support
toother speechpathologists, andproud
that anagency I worked in for 10 years
is committed to theprocessof clinical
supervision, external or otherwise.
AmberBaird
SpeechPathologist
Providingexternal supervision ina rural setting
Manynewgraduates
and sole practitioners seekmentoringdue to a lack of supervision in their workplace.While
SpeechPathology Australia recommends that all practising speech pathologists receive supervision, this is often not the
case. The case study belowdemonstrates an example of amodel of external supervision. Setting up external supervision is
SpeechPathology Australia’s preferred optionwhen there are no sufficiently experienced staff within the organisation toprovide
discipline specific supervision, rather than seekingmentoring as an alternative to supervision.
MeredithPrain
Professional Support Advisor
(Tuesday only)
