Workforce and Regulation

Workforce

Speech pathology faces significant workforce challenges, with shortages limiting access to care, especially in regional, rural, and remote areas. The lack of comprehensive workforce data makes it difficult to track practitioner numbers and locations, hindering workforce planning. Rising demand, heavier workloads, and recruitment difficulties contribute to service gaps and longer wait times. Addressing these challenges is essential to ensuring timely, high-quality care.

Regulation

Recent national consultations have discussed health professional regulation. SPA actively participates in these consultations, representing our members’ views and those with communication and swallowing needs. These discussions include considerations of different regulatory models, which could have implications for workforce data collection, workforce planning, and other key workforce considerations.

How SPA is representing you

We actively advocate for solutions that address workforce and regulatory challenges, including:

  • Advocating for improved workforce data collection to inform planning and resource allocation.
  • Advocating for measures to address workforce shortages, particularly in underserved areas.
  • Engaging in government consultations on workforce and regulation, ensuring speech pathologists' views and needs are considered.
Key recent activities

Regulation advocacy survey - speech pathologists’
key priorities for regulation

In November 2024, SPA conducted a survey to inform our advocacy efforts. Open to both members and non-member practising speech pathologists, this survey explored which aspects of regulation matter most to the profession.

We have prepared an overview report and a short video summarising key insights from your feedback, viewable here. This feedback was used to shape SPA’s position and submission in response to Consultation Paper 2 of the NRAS Complexity Review.

Regulation Education

Regulation video series

SPA has developed a six-part video series to provide a structured overview of workforce and regulation issues in speech pathology (recorded in February 2025), prior to the release of Consultation Paper 2). We recommend viewing them in order, as each build on the previous session and follows the insights from the November 2024 Advocacy Survey.

Regulation in focus - Session 1
Welcome
 

Regulation in focus- Session 2
Setting the scene: Regulation and speech pathology
 

Regulation in focus- Session 3
Self-regulation vs. NRAS: How they compare
 

Regulation in focus - Session 4
The regulation policy debate: Your questions answered
 

Regulation in focus - Session 5
The regulation policy debate: Current consultations, future possibilities
 

Regulation in focus - Session 6
Future ready: Advocating for speech pathologists
 

The sessions were facilitated by Dr Trish Bradd, who is the Facilitator of Speech Pathology Australia’s Regulation Advisory Committee and the Director of Patient Safety at the Clinical Excellence Commission in NSW.  She is also the Chair of Speech Pathology Australia’s Ethics Board, a role she will hold until Speech Pathology Australia’s 2025 Annual General Meeting. Speech Pathology Australia’s President, Kathryn McKinley, and SPA CEO, Lyn Brodie, introduce and conclude the video package, providing key context on why these discussions are taking place, the advocacy work already underway, and what to expect moving forward.

Trish was joined by:

  • Dr Jennifer O’Connor, SPA General Manager, Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations
  • Ms Trish Johnson, SPA Manager, Ethics and Professional Issues
  • Ms Stacey Baldac, SPA Manager, Professional Standards
  • Ms Jennifer Morris, Consumer Representative

Please note: Within the video series, reference is made to the anticipated release of NRAS Complexity Review Consultation Paper 2 in February or March 2025. We have since been advised that the release has been delayed until May 2025.

For further information, review SPA’s updated Understanding the regulation of speech pathologists in Australia website, or ask a question via our Question Form.