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PUBH6001 Health Policy and Advocacy - Torrens University Australia

Assessment: Policy Analysis Essay

Learning outcome 1: Analyse different theories and approaches to policy agenda setting
Learning outcome 2: Apply knowledge of policy development to a public health policy issue
Learning outcome 3: Analyse issues in contemporary Australian health care policy
Learning outcome 4: Develop processes for the evaluation of and accountability for policy
Learning outcome 5: Critique the role of networks and coalitions in the policy agenda setting process

Instructions:

In this Assessment, you will engage in policy analysis. Choose a health policy (either current or past), either at the state or federal level, to analyse in this Assignment (eg, mental health policy, women's health policy, preventative health policy, men's health policy, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health policy).

The Assignment should be approximately 2,000 words (+/- 10%) and presented in essay form. Address the following questions in your Assessment but please do not answer the questions as a series of short answers:

Firstly, provide a short introduction to your essay. Then proceed to analyse your chosen policy, and in doing so, consider the following issues:

The Problem and Context
•Describe the current and historical policy context of the problem.
•What is the problem which the policy seeks to address? What problems are highlighted?
•What problems have been overlooked?

Frame of Reference/Dominant Discourse
•What is the common frame of reference or dominant discourse evidence within this policy?
•Are certain words and phrases commonly used?
•Are there any underlying assumptions behind these?

Targets, Stakeholders and their Representation
•Who is the target of the policy (the subject of the discourse)?
•Who are the other stakeholders identified in the policy? Describe key institutional structures, agencies and workforce capacity building.
•How are the subjects of the policy being represented?
•How are different social groups portrayed in this policy and what implications does this have?
•Are there any moral judgements expressed in this representation?

Policy process
•Who were the stakeholders involved in the development of the policy? Who was overlooked?
•Whose interests were represented in the development of the policy? Which voices were not heard?
•What were the potential competing interests and power differentials of those involved in the development of the policy?
•What was the motivation for stakeholders in creating this policy?
•Were there any particular windows of opportunity that enabled the development of this policy?

Policy Solutions
•What solutions are put forward to address the problems? What alternative solutions might have been overlooked?
•Are there any social/power/ethical implications of this policy?

Effectiveness
•Consider the implementation of the policy. How effectively do you think the current policy has been implemented?
•What are the accountability processes for the policy?
•Consider evaluation measures (indicators) and any evaluation which has been undertaken.
•How effective has the policy proven to be?

Attachment:- Health Policy and Advocacy.rar