Former members of the group:
Caroline Bowen Now practising in Wentworth Falls NSW
Susan Etherden Retired
Freida van Staden Now practising in Albury NSW

SLP services for adults
Adult clients are seen at the rooms, in hospitals and nursing homes, and in their own homes. The range of communication difficulties treated include voice disorders, speech and language disorders due to strokes, swallowing disorders, stuttering, and mild articulation disorders stemming from childhood. Some of the people we see with voice disorders are professional voice users such as actors and singers.

Caseload profile
The age-range of people assessed and treated by members of the practice over the years has been from 8 months to over 90. The largest client-group has been preschoolers with speech and language delays and disorders, and the second largest group, learning disabled and language disordered primary and high school students.

The speech-language pathologists in the group conduct some 5,000 forty to sixty minute consultations in an average year!

Referrals
Apart from families who contact us independently, to refer family members of all ages, referrals come from many sources including other speech-language pathologists, preschool, infants, primary and secondary school teachers, psychologists, counsellors, public hospitals, community health centres and assessment centres, and general and specialist medical practitioners.

It is not usually necessary to have a medical referral, but it often makes good sense to, if the person’s communication disorder has a medical component (e.g., glue ear). All clients with voice symptoms such as persistent hoarseness must see an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist before attending for speech pathology assessment.

Fees
In setting fees, we are guided (1) by our professional association, Speech Pathology Australia, (2) by considering what people can reasonably be expected to afford, and (3) by determining what we need to charge in order to maintain an exemplary level of service. The fee scale is displayed in the waiting room. Fees are discussed with potential clients prior to consultation. Fee schedules are mailed out on request. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) does not apply to Speech Pathology fees.

Insurance
Australian private health insurance funds provide partial cover for speech-language pathology services. Speech-language pathology services are not covered by Medicare.

Waiting lists
Like private speech-language pathologists in many other established practices, we frequently assume the role of managing a case while a client is on a waiting list for a free public clinic. This arrangement can ease the waiting list problem slightly for community therapists, and means children, in particular, can be seen sooner than they otherwise would.

As far as possible we try not to have a waiting list ourselves, and four weeks is about the maximum someone has ever had to wait for assessment. If, as sometimes happens, we have too many cases to see, we try to refer them on to other private practitioners who are members of Speech Pathology Australia. Most of the time, however, we just keep up with the demand.

Best times of year to refer
Our quietest time of year, and the best time to refer, is in January and first term. Our busiest time of year is fourth term, when it is often difficult to accommodate new clients straight away.

Appointments
Clients can telephone the clinic  at any time to make appointments:

There are answering machines to take out of hours messages. When new clients ring for an appointment, they speak to a speech-language pathologist who takes basic details, tells them the fees, and arranges a time for the initial consultation. 

International calls
+ 61 2 9498 8200 Penny, Fiona
+ 61 2 9498 4445 Amanda and Jean

Assessment of children
The assessment process for children involves taking a detailed history from the parent/s, gathering supporting information (e.g. school reports, psychological assessment, audiogram), and assessing the client via standardised measures and non-standardised clinical observations. Assessment usually takes from one to three visits. Assessment reports (if requested/required) regarding children go to parents for them to distribute at their discretion.

Sometimes assessments are done for special purposes, such as applications for SC/L (special language class), transition from pre-school to Kindergarten, medico-legal assessments, and applications for special consideration in the HSC. It is preferable that referrals for special assessments related to school placement or support be made no later than September.

Therapy for children
The number and frequency of therapy appointments for children (and adults) varies according to the disorder. Parents are given an indication of the amount of therapy likely to be needed as soon as possible.

We can usually give an approximate estimate of how much therapy will be required after the assessment, and a reasonably accurate indication after the third or fourth therapy appointment. Pre-school aged children are seen during school hours, preferably on days that they do not normally attend pre-school.

Although there are sometimes problems associated with it (i.e., with regard to coming out of school), we prefer to see Kindergarten and Year 1 students for appointments before mid-day, especially if they have attention span problems or if they tire easily, as so many speech and language impaired and learning disabled children do. We try to see older children and adolescents before and after school, if suitable times are available.

Page updated 13 May 2009

http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/clinic-gordon.html