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PUBH6003 Health Systems and Economics

Assessment - Written Debate

Learning Outcome 1: Critically examine the key characteristics of health systems and apply this knowledge to local and global contexts;

Learning Outcome 2: Investigate and inquire into the building blocks of health systems and interpret how they are translated globally;

Learning Outcome 3: Evaluate the principles of systems thinking and promote multi- sectoral collaboration for the successful implementation of public health programmes;

Learning Outcome 4: Analyse the key concepts and principles of health economics; and

Learning Outcome 5: Evaluate the factors that influence health service supply and demand with a focus on the equitable distribution of resources.

Context

Healthcare financing incorporates how funds are mobilised (raising revenue), accumulated (pooling) and allocated (purchasing) to deliver health services to individuals and population groups.

Health systems cannot function without funding: reliable channels of funding are important to ensure that a health system is equitable, and that individual healthcare costs do not cause financial harm.

• Revenue raising ensures that there is money and ensures sustainability.
• Pooling spreads the financial risk across the population to ensure equity and efficacy.
• Allocation mechanisms used to pay for health services ensures services/medicines and technology.

Health financing also ensures the appropriate setting of financial incentives for the payment of health providers. Ultimately, health financing helps health systems to achieve their goals, such as health outcomes/gains, equity in the provision of health services, system efficacy and responsiveness. These key indicators are used to monitor and evaluate the health financing mechanisms adopted by different countries. Thus, knowledge of health financing will help you to understand the extent to which health system goals are achievable (or not) in a given context.

This assessment is designed to encourage teamwork and collaboration. The assessment requires you to engage in extensive research and undertake a critical analysis to craft clear and strategic evidence-based arguments to support your stance: a key skill in public health advocacy and policy development.

Assessment Task

Your group will be provided with a topic and the stance that you will be required to argue. Critically evaluate your topic for debate (in essence, writing a position paper), as assigned to you by your learning facilitator. Consider the pros and cons for the achievement of the health system's goals: the health outcomes (health gain), equity in health and finance, financial protection and the responsiveness of the system.

Instructions

The table below summarises the schedule of activities and timelines for the assessment.

Allocation of Students to Groups Due: End of Module 5 (Week 5)	Students will be assigned to groups (three students per group), depending on class size. Each group will be assigned a topic and team position by the learning facilitator.
Draft Individual Position Statement Due: End of Module 7 (Week 7)	Each student is to write a 1-page position statement (at least 400 words +/-10%) representing their argument on the assigned topic before working with one another on the group position statement.   Individual position statements will be attached as an appendix to the final submission.

Part A: Submission-Group Position Statement (Discussion Forum) Due: End of Module 8 (Week 8)	Groups to submit their group statement on the discussion forum dedicated to this activity. Each group is to provide three clear, logical, convincing and evidence-based arguments that support their side (1,000 words +/-10%). This submission will be marked once the entire task is submitted in Week 10.
Draft Group rebuttal statement Due: End of Module 10 (Week 10)	Provide three clear, logical, convincing and evidence-based arguments to demolish or argue against the main points of the opposing team (1000 words +/-10%).
Part B: Final Submission-Group Position Statement and Group Rebuttal, attaching Individual Position Statements as an appendix Due: End of Module 10 (Week 10)	Group to submit their position statement, which should be the same as the one submitted to the discussion forum previously (1,000 words +/ 10%) and the group rebuttal (1,000 words +/-10%) and individual position statements (as an appendix). All documents to be submitted as a single PDF file.

Note: Each team member should fill out the evaluation form individually and confidentially and submit it using the ‘Team Member Evaluation Form Submission' link. The Evaluation Form is available for download under the Assessment Information.

Details

Individual Position Statement
You are required to initially work individually on the topic assigned to your group by the learning facilitator. As a group you need to establish three arguments and each argument needs to be allocated to an individual group member. You will conduct some preliminary research relevant to the argument you are allocated and synthesise and analyse the researched material to build arguments to support your viewpoint. You are also required to demonstrate your ability to integrate knowledge about aspects and perspectives, which you may need to argue against the opposition team's main arguments. Your Individual Position Statement will be integrated in the overall group statement.

Group Position Statement
Address each of the below points clearly and concisely in your group position statement to successfully complete the task.

1. Present your overall argument in a clear statement.
2. Provide background information on the topic to explain its importance. Define the issue if required.
3. Provide the first supporting statement with evidence from credible/academic sources of information; paraphrase with parenthetical citations.
4. Provide second supporting statement with evidence from credible/academic sources; paraphrase with parenthetical citations.
5. Provide, the third supporting statement with evidence from credible/academic sources; paraphrase with parenthetical citations.
6. Conclusion. Restate the main argument and synthesise the main key points to explain the significance of the issue. Do not introduce new information.

Group Rebuttal Statement
Here are some rebuttal strategies that you can use:
1. Thesis statement. This statement should directly oppose the thesis statement of the original claim that you are countering.
2. Address and counter each of the three supporting arguments point-by-point by providing an evidence-based analysis, explanation and specific examples that support your overall point.
3. Write a conclusion synthesising the main points.

Attachment:- Health Systems and Economics.rar