Power, Policy and Politics in Health Care Provision

400238 Power, Policy & Politics in Health Care Provision

Assignment 2 Guidelines

This assessment requires you to demonstrate your understanding of how health care policies are (or should be) developed and constructed.

You are required to analyse the process of policy development with reference to ONE health care policy or one component of a policy within the Australian health care system. The policy could be one that has been developed for the Health Care System in general or you may choose a policy that has been developed specifically for your immediate work context. This policy may be one that has been developed to support the implementation of a government policy.

The required readings and learning activities in the Study Guides for Module 1 and Module 2 provide detailed information about the policy development process and make suggestion for how best to approach and conduct a policy analysis and critique.

This is a highly structured assignment where you are encouraged to use headings throughout
All materials / documents / authors referred to in your essay must be:
- appropriately acknowledged in-text using the APA Style Manual guidelines
- have a corresponding citation in the reference list irrespective of whether they are peer reviewed
All documents sourced via the internet must be able to be located from your reference list web link
You may load a copy of your chosen policy into the Turnitin assignment folder with your assignment

Choosing a policy for critique and discussion

Choose a policy that interests you and that provides you with enough detail to enable you to incorporate into your critique and discussion at least some of the relevant processes and topic areas identified in:

Althaus, Bridgman and Davis (2013, pp. 37- 40) Australian Policy Cycle
Althaus et al. (2013, pp. 76-85) Frameworks in the Analyst’s Toolkit (also in Table 1 below).
You may also find Table 2 helpful to your critique because it provides a list of questions you could ask of your chosen policy. Table 2 has a health services planning and policy toolkit developed by the World Health Organization (2005).
Look at section 2.3 on pages 28 and 29 of the learning modules as this relates to the analysis of policy

It is a mistake to choose a policy that you have not read completely and/or that you have not fully understood. At least some understanding of the policy background is required in order to respond appropriately to the framework assessment.

No matter how the assessment is approached, it is critical that the criteria on pages 19-21 of the Learning Guide are addressed as this is our marking guideline. This is also available on page 4 of this document.

Table 1

Frameworks and associated areas for Policy analysis. You’ll find these frameworks explained under the title The Analyst’s Toolkit in Althaus, Bridgman and Davis (2013, pp. 76-85)
Economic	Cost-benefit Cost-effectiveness Opportunity costs Market competitiveness Regulatory impact
Social	Community impact Interest group impact Community values Social justice principle Cultural heritage impact
Environmental	Environmental impact analysis Ecological sustainable development principles Environmental quality Habitat preservation Biodiversity Sound management of natural resource
Political	Consistency with governing party principles and policies Consultation with political advisers Agreement among policy elites Electoral impacts Expected media reception
Legal	Administrative and constitutional framework Institutional structures and relationships Accountability to whom and what, how is it measured

Table 2

Adapted from:

World Health Organization. (2005). Health service planning and policy: A toolkit for nurses and midwives. Retrieved from http://www.wpro.who.int/publications/PUB_9290611863/en/

There will be questions below that you cannot be answer because there is insufficient information provided in your chosen policy. You could, however, comment on the importance (or otherwise) of these considerations.

What policy have you chosen to critique?
Policy Title?

Why have you chosen this policy for critique?
Significance of the policy for the health of the population?
Professional or personal interest?

How, when, and why did the policy come into being?

What influenced policy-makers to adopt a particular course of action, what were the objectives of the policy?

Who were the policy-makers?

Which, if any, interest groups did they represent?

What have been the stages and methods, including organizational arrangements and structures, used in the policy-making process?
Has the process been an orderly or chaotic to an extent? W
as any area of the policy a contested one?

Was there a consultation process in place?
What interested groups, if any, have been consulted and what sources and kinds of advice have been obtained?
Did the consultation process and its outcomes have an impact on what was included in the policy?
Is there a process in place for ongoing consultation and review?

Is the adopted process of policy-making the best that could be hoped for? If not how might it be improved?

Was the policy development process a good process? Is the policy a good policy? How do you know?

Has the policy achieved required outcomes?

Would a different policy be likely to yield better results?
For whom?

Does the present policy need changing?
Why?

Is it feasible to change it and in what ways?

Was there a consultation process in place? What interested groups, if any, have been consulted and what sources and kinds of advice have been obtained?
Did the consultation process and its outcomes have an impact on what was included in the policy? I
Is there a process in place for ongoing consultation and review?

Adapted from:

World Health Organization. (2005). Health service planning and policy: A toolkit for nurses and midwives. Retrieved from http://www.wpro.who.int/publications/PUB_9290611863/en/

Although there is a criteria map in the Learning Guide (pp. 19-21) to follow you may find it easier to look at the following tick box approach.

Essay criteria

Marks allocated

Introduction 15%

Choice of policy or component chosen to critique is of an acceptable level for assignment (has depth and complexity and has significance to the health care system)

The policy or component chosen is at the level expected for the assignment and has sufficient depth and complexity and has significance for the health care system

2.5

Reason for policy selection is provided

The reason for the selection is provided with a highly relevant statement that substantiates its importance to the health care system in Australia

2.5

Clear concise summary of health policy being discussed

Includes a clear, concise summary of the health policy chosen that orientates the reader to the policy and reinforces its significance to health care policy in Australia.

Policy Analysis 25%

Demonstrate your understanding of policy issues

In-depth discussion that demonstrates strong understanding of the policy issues related to the policy document.

Evidence of critical discussion and analysis

Evidence of critical analysis of relevant literature is presented and comprehensively integrated to support the discussion and analysis of policy

Conclusion 10%

Conclusions are logical and drawn from the policy analysis

Conclusions are based on policy and related literature and demonstrate their potential significance for the health services. Suggestions for changes to the policy or reasons for not doing this are critically explained.

Essay presentation

Writes in a clear and succinct academic style. Uses correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Correctly applies the conventions of in-text citations and for the reference list for APA referencing style

Total