Month: November 2022

Consumer Representative for the Speech Pathology Australia – Associations Ethics Board

Speech Pathology Australia (the Association) is looking for two (2) community representatives to join their Associations Ethics Board. The position is a three-year term.

Background

In 2000, the Association established the Ethics Board to manage and, when necessary, enforce the Code of Ethics for the speech pathology professional membership. From 2023, the Ethics Board will have up to 16 members, including the Chair of the Board, five senior speech pathology members, five elected speech pathology members and five community representatives. One community representative position is currently vacant, a second position will be vacant from January 2023.

Consumer role

The objectives of the community representative positions are to represent community interests and views within Ethics Board activities and to ensure that community perspectives are appropriately considered.
A community representative Ethics Board member:

  • must not be a member of the Association
  • must not be a speech pathologist
  • is required to be capable of fairly representing the views of the community
  • can represent a consumer group or an individual
  • is required to contribute meaningfully to confidential investigations that consider formal complaints
  • is required to contribute to the development of published articles, education material etc regarding ethical issues in professional practice
  • is required to provide a letter of endorsement from a consumer organisation (if they are being endorsed by one)

Meetings and Travel

  • Ethics Board members must have capacity to attend three videoconferences of approximately one hour each per year
  • Ethics Board members must have capacity to attend an annual training weekend at the Association’s national office (Melbourne)
  • participate in investigation panels as required.

Remuneration

  • Sitting fees in line with the AHPRA schedule of fees for board, committee and panel members.
  • Meetings/ teleconferences of less than five hours will attract a proportion of this fee.
  • All travel and accommodation expenses are covered by the Association.

Timeframes

  • Community representatives on the Ethics Board are appointed for a three-year term.

Additional Information

Expressions of Interest
When submitting a nomination, please email a CV and a brief 500-word statement outlining your interest, reasons and capabilities for serving on the Ethics Board to Samantha Price, Professional Services Officer: sprice@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Nominations close Monday 5 December 2022 at 5 pm ADST (Melbourne).
Nominations will be considered by the Association’s Board of Directors and individuals will be notified of the outcome following the Board’s decision.

Supermarkets like casinos?

(by Clare Mullen, 10/11/22)

I’m really enjoying Magda Szubanski’s ABC series – Australia’s Big Health Check. She’s looking at how easy – or not – it is to be healthy in Australia.

She highlights that poor nutrition and obesity are taking over from tobacco and smoking as the leading cause of ill health and death in Australia. One of the doctors on the show comments that when it comes to our health

genes are what load the gun, but then it’s our lifestyle that pulls the trigger… the important thing here is, that you can do something about this…

What Magda goes on to show, is how determined we have to be in order to do what we can to avoid harmful foods when we’re out shopping! Dr Sandro Demaio, Chief Executive of VicHealth comments that

With the lack of natural light and no clocks, supermarkets are more like casinos than traditional markets

And shares that the prime “real estate” of the ends of aisles are sold to food companies by the supermarkets. As one of the community members in the show says

When you’re going in for a quick shop, it’s hard not to buy that end of aisle stuff…

And of course, that “end of aisle stuff” is often the low nutrition, high calorie, high sugar option.

But as Magda shows in the program – there are people fighting back. And we think WA health consumers, carers and community members can be involved in that work too.

Come along to our events this month and be part of the discussion – share your thoughts on how we can all play a part in a healthier WA!

A picture of Magda Szubanski with a blue rubber glove on one hand and a blue bandage on her forehead. The wording says Let's Fight For a Healthier Us