❓ Mr. Stephens inquires about speech pathology access for Tom Price and Paraburdoo residents. The Minister acknowledges the issue and outlines steps being considered to improve access, including increased video-conferencing and therapy assistant support.
AnsweredQoN 1048Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Minister aware of the backlog facing residents of Tom Price and Paraburdoo seeking access to speech pathologists?
(2) What step is the Minister taking to ensure that a speech pathologist is recruited and appointed and based in Tom Price to service the needs of this inland Pilbara town?
(2) What step is the Minister taking to ensure that a speech pathologist is recruited and appointed and based in Tom Price to service the needs of this inland Pilbara town?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 August 2009
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
54 days
(1) Speech pathology services in the West Pilbara are currently provided from Karratha. The speech pathology team of 3 FTE provides service to all the West Pilbara communities including Karratha, Dampier, Onslow, Roebourne, Wickham, Pannawonica as well as Tom Price and Paraburdoo and associated communities of Bellary Springs, Youngaleena Wakathuni.
Generally, all publicly funded speech therapy services in Western Australia have a waitlist process and an access priority assessment process. In the Pilbara there are regular intake meetings in which clients are prioritised with respect to speech therapy services specifically and multidisciplinary care where indicated.
Currently the residents of Tom Price and Paraburdoo have equivalent access to speech therapy services as all other residents of towns or communities in the Pilbara.
(2) On a recent trip to Tom Price, the Minister met with community members to hear their concerns with regard to some visiting health services. At this meeting the Tom Price community's main concern was the timely and regular access to speech pathology services. As a result of the meeting the WA Country Health Service - Pilbara has committed to looking at options to improve access to speech pathology services in the towns. These options include but are not limited to:
Increased video-conferencing by therapists in Karratha to client and family in Tom Price/Paraburdoo;
Increased access to services by utilising video conferencing between the therapists based in Karratha, and the families and therapy assistant in Tom Price and Paraburdoo
Engaging additional therapy assistant workforce from nursing or other relevant professional persons in Tom Price/Paraburdoo, subject to their availability
Investigation of benefits of a second therapy assistant position based in Tom Price or Paraburdoo to improve service access to the three allied health disciplines.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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Generally, all publicly funded speech therapy services in Western Australia have a waitlist process and an access priority assessment process. In the Pilbara there are regular intake meetings in which clients are prioritised with respect to speech therapy services specifically and multidisciplinary care where indicated.
Currently the residents of Tom Price and Paraburdoo have equivalent access to speech therapy services as all other residents of towns or communities in the Pilbara.
(2) On a recent trip to Tom Price, the Minister met with community members to hear their concerns with regard to some visiting health services. At this meeting the Tom Price community's main concern was the timely and regular access to speech pathology services. As a result of the meeting the WA Country Health Service - Pilbara has committed to looking at options to improve access to speech pathology services in the towns. These options include but are not limited to:
Increased video-conferencing by therapists in Karratha to client and family in Tom Price/Paraburdoo;
Increased access to services by utilising video conferencing between the therapists based in Karratha, and the families and therapy assistant in Tom Price and Paraburdoo
Engaging additional therapy assistant workforce from nursing or other relevant professional persons in Tom Price/Paraburdoo, subject to their availability
Investigation of benefits of a second therapy assistant position based in Tom Price or Paraburdoo to improve service access to the three allied health disciplines.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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