Speech pathology and audiology: Assessment and intervention for communication impairment

This chapter outlines service delivery models for two allied health professions that together play key roles in assessing and alleviating communication impairment in today's Australian health care system. Despite commonality of purpose, the two professions – speech pathology and audiology – are practised in very different ways. The interplay of forces influencing current care models presented to the general public in speech pathology and audiology include: relative emphasis on public versus private practice; introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for service provision to people with long-term needs related to disability; the balance between service delivery and supply of devices / equipment; the role of government in service delivery (Duckett 2014); the availability of services to various sectors of the Australian community (Tuohy 1999).