Speak Out August 2017 low res

24 / 40

24 Speak Out August 2017
REFORMS TO AUSTRALIA’ s aged care system continue to be
progressively implemented. Since 2012, the sector has seen the
introduction of My Aged Care, streamlined access to entry-level
support services for older people and their carers through the
Commonwealth Home Support Programme and the Regional
Assessment Service, and more choice and control for older
people to remain living at home through consumer directed
home care packages. The reforms have entered the final phase
(2016–2022), involving the legislated review into the impact
of the reforms to date and the development of a single quality
framework for aged care. A review is also underway to investigate
alternative options for how government funds residential aged
care, with interim changes to the Aged Care Funding Instrument
(ACFI) expected, while government deliberates over future funding
reform.
How is Speech Pathology Australia
influencing the reforms?
In 2017, the Association’s National Advisor Aged Care position
was made permanent, demonstrating a strong commitment to
aged care. Since the Aged Care Project commenced in 2015,
more than 10 national submissions to government inquiries
and consultation processes have been made on a wide range
of topics relevant to aged care. High-level representation has
also been provided through a range of government task groups
and consultation forums, providing opportunities to advocate
for older adults with communication, swallowing and mealtime
support needs and educate decision-makers about the role of the
profession and barriers to equity of service access and outcomes.
As a member of the National Aged Care Alliance (NACA), the
Association now has a stronger voice, working with peak national
organisations in aged care to determine a more positive future for
aged care in Australia.
What are the priority areas for advocacy
and awareness raising?
One of the key priority areas that the Association has been
advocating strongly for concerns the listing of both public and
private speech pathology services in the My Aged Care Service
Finder. Currently, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and
podiatry are the only allied services to have non-commonwealth
funded services listed, presenting a barrier to consumer choice,
as well as equitable access to speech pathology services. The
Association recently met with the Minister for Aged Care, The Hon
Key Wyatt MP about this issue, and about delays in referrals to
speech pathology services delivered in the community. SPA will
continue to advocate strongly for a resolution.
Looking to the future, and in line with the new National Strategic
Plan (2017–2019), initiatives have been identified to see more
communication accessible aged care organisations, better access
to speech pathology services for older people, and a resilient and
dynamic workforce to respond to new and emerging models of
practice in aged care. The Association is committed to developing
resources to support speech pathologists working in aged care,
as well as educational material to help consumers and providers
understand the range of service options available.
What are some of the aged care initiatives
currently underway?
The Aged Care Working Party has developed and piloted a
speech pathology training package for the newly established
Regional Assessment Services (RAS). A number of volunteer
speech pathologists have been trained to deliver the training
package as representatives of the Association in their local
districts. Three pilot training sessions have now been delivered
across New South Wales and Victoria, reaching approximately 50
assessors. The quality and relevance of the training have been
rated very positively. Furthermore, assessors have reported feeling
better equipped to identify communication, swallowing and/
or mealtime support needs, refer to speech pathology services,
and support clients with communication difficulties during the
assessment process. The Association would like to see the
training package made available to all RAS assessors and is
exploring strategies to make this possible.
The Aged Care Working Party has also identified attendance at
the Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) National Congress as
a key strategy for raising the profession’s profile in the aged care
sector, recognised as the largest aged care services networking
event in the southern hemisphere. The Association hosted a
networking pod at the 2016 congress and will be in attendance
again in October 2017. This year, a communication toolkit will
be developed and promoted to attract delegates to the pod and
capitalise on the awareness-raising and networking opportunity.
How can you be involved?
To inform the Association’s advocacy and awareness raising
efforts relevant to aged care, it is important we hear from clinicians
working in the sector to understand the opportunities and
challenges faced. Please contact the National Advisor Aged Care
if you have any questions about the reforms or examples of where
older adults with communication, swallowing and/or mealtime
difficulties have experienced challenges in accessing services.
Success stories and examples of innovation in aged care are
also welcomed. The Department of Health posts regular reform
updates that may be of interest:
aged-care-reform
Please contact the National Advisor Aged Care for further
information:
Aged care update
Claire Bishop (Team Leader, Regional Assessment Service,
Illawarra Shoalhaven Health District), Beth Causa (Volunteer
Speech Pathology RAS Trainer), Michelle Bennett (SPA Aged
Care Working Party) delivering the speech pathology training
package to RAS assessors in NSW.