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Speak Out October 2015 25
Are you aT risk of:
• being contacted by Fair Work Australia or the
Ombudsman’s office?
• incurring significant costs?
• having underperforming or disgruntled staff?
Have you been listening to the news lately? It seems that
hardly a day goes by without another employer or organisation
being exposed for not having all the necessary checks and
balances in place for their staff.
Keeping up with current legislation and meeting all of your
legal requirements is challenging. This is the pointy end of
running a business and it is something that the majority of
speech pathologists have little training or experience in.
That is why it is essential that you consult with professionals
who have specific knowledge and skills in relation to
employment law and human resources management. One
option is to engage an employment lawyer to do the work
for you. Most states and territories have a Law Institute that
provides a directory of lawyers. Another option is to contact
WorkPlace PLUS (WPP).
Speech Pathology Australia has engaged WPP to provide
employment, human resources and industrial relations
information to SPA members. Initial phone contact is free
of charge. Additional services will attract a fee and Anna
Pannuzzo, Principal at WPP, will provide you with a quote for
service prior to her or a team member commencing any work.
WorkPlace PLUS employment contract services include
reviewing contracts already in place or drawing up new terms
of employment and position descriptions with reference to
relevant awards and legislation. WPP can also offer practical
HR support to your practice by developing and/or updating
your HR policies and procedures. They also provide individual
support to employers/employees dealing with human resource
and workplace relations issues.
Anna Pannuzzo can be contacted by phoning 0419 533 434
or emailing
nichola harris
Practice and Clinical Support Advisor
spotlight on professional support
As an employer or contractor of speech pathology
staff... what keeps you up at night?
Did you know?
Government-funded small business advisory services
operate in most states and territories. They can provide
you with general advice and information, advise you of
small business events being held in your area or online,
and direct you to small business advisors. They may
also be able to provide you with information about small
business grants and government funded business
support. Government also funds a national small
business support line. Phone 13 28 46 (press 1).
So far this year 56 mentoring
partnerships have been established, with
mentees from all states – as well as two
from the Northern Territory – participating.
I recently asked mentor Sue Fanello, from
Bankstown Hospital, what she sees as the
benefits of participating in the Mentoring
Program, to which she responded:
“There are benefits in keeping skills
fresh but just as important is exposure
to ideas that you may not otherwise
have access to. It is always interesting
discussing the variability in workplace
operation and how we practice in
different environments. One of the
trickier aspects of mentoring generally
is to sort out the division between
‘supervision’ and ‘mentoring’ because
each partnership is different, it is
certainly not one-size-fits-all (what is??).
It is a good way of prompting you to
reflect on your own practice, lessons
learned in the past as well as those you
are still learning. It often prompts looking
up information that you have intended to
access but…
I would recommend mentoring as a
good way to share experiences. I feel
the time is well spent, and with clear
negotiation from the outset, you can
generally find ways to fit the short bursts
of time into a busy work life.”
Sue raises the important point of
the need to differentiate between
mentoring and supervision. Mentoring
and supervision have much in common
in that a more experienced clinician
supports the growth and development
of a less experienced clinician, and both
provide an opportunity for reflective
practice. Supervision however, unlike
mentoring, is required to ensure clinical
accountability and that staff have
the clinical competencies required
to perform the duties of their job. For
more information about the differences
between mentoring and supervision,
see the Association’s position statement
The role and value of professional
support.
Meredith prain
Professional Support Advisor
What are the benefits of participating in the Mentoring Program?