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Our Mission
Mission statement
SASLHA will promote the professions to the public and will
promote the best interests of members in all spheres of
professional activity; SASLHA will provide opportunities to
enhance professional competence through providing and/or
co-ordinating learning activities for its members; SASLHA
will access knowledge and resources to share with its
members to their benefit and that of their patients/clients;
SASLHA will lobby and advocate for recognition of the
professions by government, the private sector, international
bodies; SASHLA will encourage members to aspire to the
highest standards of ethical conduct.
Vision statement
To be the acknowledged voice of Speech-Language Therapists and Audiologists in South Africa.
Principles
The South African Speech-Language-Hearing Association (SASLHA)
representing the profession of Speech and Language Therapy and Audiology
is committed to:
- the promotion of effective communication
- the prevention of communication disorders
- the management of children and adults with communication disorders
- the primary health care approach – essential care based on socially acceptable methods made accessible through full individual and community participation
- the creation of an enabling environment for rehabilitation
- the concept of intersectorial collaboration within the community and in the health, welfare, education and development sectors
- optimal use of skills within the profession
- promoting and protecting the interests of members
- maintaining high standards of service and professional conduct
- the appropriate training of professionals provision of personnel is a shared responsibility between the profession, the community and training institutions
Definitions
Membership of SASLHA is open to Speech Language Therapists, Audiologists
and Community Speech and Hearing Workers. Reference to the “profession”
within this policy includes all of these categories both in public and
private sectors.
General
SASLHA exists for its members. Elected representatives are accountable
to the membership in all matters. All dealings of the organization will
be transparent. To ensure representative participation of, and input
from, all members, the Executive Committee and Council will appoint
working groups to address issues as they arise.
Objectives
The profession is committed to the holistic idea of health.
Communication is central to every human interaction and disordered
communication imposes limits on an individual’s function and
opportunity.
The Association will:
- co-operate with and support training institutions
- recommend that training institutions accommodate students with
disadvantaged educational backgrounds thus facilitating service
delivery to the whole community in regard to training and to
professional services
- promote the public image of speech-language-hearing therapy and
audiology and the profession
- promote continuing high standards of practice
- promote the provision of speech-language-hearing therapy and
audiology services in both the public and private sectors,
emphasising community participation
- request representation by a member of the profession in the
Central Bargaining Chamber of the Public Servant Administration and
in any other department, forum and work group concerned with career
structures
- promote the concept of intersectorial collaboration both within
the profession and with other professional groups
Mechanisms for Achieving Objectives
The Association will:
- liase with training institutions regarding the needs of
professionals and clients so that curricula may be adjusted as
needed
- inform the SAMDC (South African Medical and Dental Council) and
the Professional Board of Speech-Language Therapy and Audiology of
the SAMDC1 of developments in the profession which may have
implications for training and standards
- promote post-graduate educational programmes to ensure the
continuing high standard of practice of the profession and delivery
of appropriate services to the community
- encourage members to adhere to high ethical standards thereby
maintaining the honour and interest of the profession
- encourage members to be conversant with the contents of the
SAMDC code of ethics
- recommend that all disciplinary matters and ethical
transgressions be given a fair hearing by the profession. Membership
of disciplinary panels should be representative of the profession
- recommend collaboration between public and private sectors
- recommend that the profession be represented at local,
provincial and central level in the public sector within the
advisory bodies at each level
- recommend that services be provided at primary, secondary and
tertiary levels
- recommend that policies for services to be provided by the
profession should be formulated by speech language therapists and
audiologists and community speech and language workers and not by
members of any other profession
- continue to support the concept of independent practitioners
- recommend fees for professional services in all sectors
- recommend that optimal use be made of existing facilities for
service provision in underserved areas
- request that separate and specifically designated posts be
created in the public sector for members of the profession. These
posts should not fall under the general heading of Health Therapist
- recommend that posts be created at local, provincial and central
level. At all levels, especially local level, posts should be
created in consultation with the community and a representative of
the profession in direct response to community needs
- recommend that the socio-economic needs of professionals,
including salaries, prospects, career mobility and fees be addressed
when considering job creation
- recommend, in consultation with the profession, a mechanism for
review of salaries which takes cognizance of qualifications
(including additional qualifications), experience and career
mobility (especially where professionals have reached the top of
their rank). Professionals should at all times have recourse to a
fair hearing in this regard.
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