Expanding the role of Allied Health: Screening for unmet social needs in paediatric speech-language pathology.

Expanding the role of Allied Health: Screening for unmet social needs in paediatric speech-language pathology.

Laura Doig¹, Lauren Hamill², Anna Kearns², Meghan Hesse², Daina Frederick², Alison Purcell^2,3, Sue Woolfenden<sup>4,5,6

1</sup>Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia
²Sydney Children’s Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
³Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
⁴University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
⁵Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
⁶The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the need, feasibility, and acceptability of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) implementing a systematic, routine, unmet social needs identification and referral pathway, as a means of working with families to pursue health equity.

Method: Quality Improvement methodologies were used to adapt and pilot an unmet social needs identification and referral pathway for use with parents/carers of children with communication difficulties referred to an urban Australian speech-language pathology service. SLPs were surveyed about the acceptability and feasibility of this practice.

Results: The majority of parents/carers, 289 of 293 (99%), agreed to participate in the study, with 31 of the 289 (11%) reporting concerns about unmet social needs. The most common unmet need related to household bills (n = 17, 28%), followed by childcare (n = 12, 20%), employment (n = 10, 16%), food (n = 8, 13%), housing (n = 7, 11%), and parent/ carer education (n = 7, 11%). The majority of these families, 26 of 31 (84%), requested referral to, or information about, local community services/resources. SLPs reported high levels of acceptability (93%) and feasibility (98%).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the need, feasibility and acceptability of SLPs implementing an unmet social needs identification and referral pathway, and the potential to scale this initiative across other speech-language pathology services and allied health contexts. This study encourages allied health to think about expanding the horizon of their roles.

Biography

Laura is a paediatric speech pathologist with over 13 years of experience working in a range of clinical settings. She has a passion for health equity and enjoys working with families to pursue it.