Consumers' proposed solutions to barriers to access of rural and remote speech pathology services

Abstract

Barriers inhibiting the equitable delivery of health services to rural and remote areas of Australia have been well documented. Yet the literature has not discussed health care consumers' proposed solutions to these barriers. This is especially the case when considering rural and remote speech pathology services. This paper reports on a study that investigated potential solutions to perceived barriers experienced by consumers when attempting to access paediatric speech pathology services in rural and remote New South Wales (NSW). The study consisted of a self-administered questionnaire mailed to members of the NSW branch of the Isolated Children's and Parents' Association (ICPA). Key findings from this study suggest consumer-based solutions to barriers to access in an attempt to maximize the effectiveness of sparse rural and remote speech pathology services, by matching the beliefs and expectations of consumers with the characteristics of services provided.