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Policy Statements
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
- 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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