ASLTIP is recognised by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists as representing self-employed members.
To qualify for membership with ASLTIP, independent speech and language therapists must be registered members of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
They must also have successfully completed their post-graduate probationary year.
There are two levels of membership.
Full membership
Full membership is available for therapists who have two recent and consecutive years of post-graduate experience.
Affiliated membership
Affiliated membership will be granted to speech and language therapists who cannot fulfil full membership criteria but:
Affiliated membership gives the therapist access to all of ASLTIP’s professional and business support services however they are not entitled to use MASLTIP or the ALTIP logo on their marketing material and correspondences. Additionally, affiliated members will not be added to the ASLTIP member directory, so they are unavailable for public searches.
Applications for both levels of membership are considered on a case by case basis.
Administrative Support
ASLTIP has a contract with an administrative agency that deals with queries from members and the public. It is an answerphone only service. The agency only deals with administrative matters and will forward any business or therapeutic queries to a member of the executive committee, who will contact you as soon as possible. Most therapists have their details on the ASLTIP online database – which is accessible to the general public through this website.
Code of Conduct for Independent Practice
This document gives guidelines for good practice and helps members to identify minimum standards of clinical care. It provides quality assurance to the purchasers of the service.
Complaints
ASLTIP deals with complaints received from colleagues and from clients. We aim to offer support to our members while upholding the highest standards of patient care and professionalism within the independent sector.
ASLTIP website
The website www.asltip.com has a secure members-only area. It contains information about the executive committee, reports from various activities, tips from members to members, queries, information from meetings and updates on the ASLTIP membership pack.
Keeping up to date
A monthly newsletter is produced from the chair. It provides members with updates to board work, the ongoing ASLTIP business plan and further developments within the organisation. Members may also advertise via the “celebrating success” section of the newsletter by contacting the chair of ASLTIP.
Networking
Information about members’ professional expertise is held on a computerised database. Members may then be put in touch with one another in order to share knowledge and give and receive clinical or business advice.
Local Support
Members are encouraged to join an ASLTIP Local Group for peer support and to assist their continuing professional development. A map of our network of current groups across the UK can be found here with further information about joining also available in the members area of the website.
Annual AGM
The annual AGM, held in March of each year, provides the opportunity for members to better understand the financial business of ASLTIP in the past financial year. If board positions are due for re-election, this happens during the AGM. The AGM is usually run in conjunction with the conference or a study day.
Conference
ASLTIP runs a conference which supports CPD through updating members’ clinical knowledge and also provides a place where members can network and meet each other to discuss matters of mutual professional and business interests.
Training Days
ASLTIP runs training days for therapists interested in independent practice. See course section of the website.
Referrals
Clients who contact the ASLTIP helpline for details of independent practitioners are e-mailed lists of full member independent speech and language therapists held on ASLTIPs database, either within their area or who have the required expertise that the client is seeking.
RCSLT also provides the ASLTIP number and website details to members of the public who contact them looking for independent support.
The ASLTIP telephone number is also held by relevant societies, associations and self-help groups (e.g. Speakability, Communications Forum, ICAN, The Stroke Association, British Stammering Association etc.) ASLTIP’s details are also held by many NHS departments.
Members are encouraged to check their details are correct and up to date and should update their details themselves and change their availability status. If members experience any problems doing so, they should contact the ASLTIP office for support. Members are encouraged to write 100 words about their practice and to choose a central postcode to the area they cover.
Starting Up in Independent Practice
ASLTIP offers advice on starting up in independent practice via the Setting Up Independent Practice course which currently runs bi-annually.
ASLTIP members can contact the executive committee via their official ASLTIP email addresses for personal advice as required. If their query cannot be answered directly they can often be put in touch with someone who can help.
Our “Setting up independent practice” course is run by members of the executive board and information about the next course can be found on the website.
Financial Advice can be given on keeping accounts and contracting for services.
Advertising and Marketing
The Advertising and Marketing Guidelines, which have been endorsed by RCSLT, are available to provide guidance on acceptable ways to market members’ practices.
The ASLTIP logo is available for use by members to show that they belong to a nationally recognised organisation.
Members are able to advertise for positions with their companies and courses they are running for free on the members’ forum. They may advertise the same content on the ASLTIP website and the Chairs newsletter for a discounted fee.
ASLTIP does not accept advertising of a member’s individual practice in the interests of fairness to all of its members.
New Members Information
On joining ASLTIP, new members gain access to the Members-only area of the website. |In the members-only areas there is a wealth of invaluable information to support practising independently.Therapists experienced in running their own practices have compiled this information over the many years that ASLTIP has been running and it is frequently added to.
ASLTIP Office
Tel: 0203 0023 704 (Answerphone)
Email: office@asltip.com
Contact us
The office can only deal with administrative matters; queries of a professional or business nature should be directed to the board committee. If you want to speak to a member of the board committee, contact details can be found in the monthly chairs newsletter, on the member’s area of the website or the office can forward your query accordingly. As members of the committee are all working therapists, it may take a little time before they can respond to you.
Current Subscriptions (subject to annual review)
Initial joining fee £150.00
Join Now
If you would like to join ASLTIP click here to fill in the online form.
ASLTIP’s membership has been growing rapidly since 1989. We are a support organisation run by our members. The executive board is always grateful for new members and new ideas.
Apply for a membership
