Policy and the life course Flashcards
Define policy.
A set of ideas or a plan of what to do in particular situations that has been agreed to officially by a group of people, a business organisation, a government, or a political party.
Define health policy.
Refers to decisions, plans & actions undertaken to achieve specific healthcare goals within a society.
What is meant by Big P policies?
A policy at the state/national level, perhaps even made into a law.
What is meant by Little P policies?
Policies that are possibly at the local government.
Give examples of Big P policies.
- Budgets & Taxes: Income tax, VAT, National Insurance
- Acts & Legislation Equality Act: Speed limits, Smoke free laws
- Regulations: Ofsted, Food Standards Agency
- Programmes/Initiatives: Sure Start, Heating grants
Give examples of Little P policies.
- Targets: Vaccination, Renewable energy
- Guidelines: Alcohol, Diet, NICE
What are the steps of the Policy Cycle?
- Problem definition (is there a problem?)
- Policy formulation (how to tackle the problem)
- Implementation (put the policy to work)
- Policy evaluation (did the policy work? re-evaluate)
Why has the stages model been criticised?
Presenting policy development as too neat and rational.
List examples of motivation behind policies.
- Political agendas
- Financial factors
- Votes and feedback from constituents
- Event (e.g. war or outbreak of disease)
List the steps of policy formulation.
- Agree aims
- Analysis: Options conceived, outlined compared
- What needs changing?
- How will it be done?
- Who will be responsible? - Consultation
- Public opinion
- Stakeholders
- Interest groups - Authorisation: Decision made & authorised
Who is responsible for the planning and management of policies?
- Local government (Local Authorities)
- Services (Schools, Hospitals)
- Regulatory bodies (e.g. HFEA, HRA)
- New working groups
What 5 things should the policy focus on?
- What health or other problem are we trying to improve?
- What are the risk factors?
- What can be changed?
- How quickly can it be changed?
- What will it cost to change?
List the steps of policy authorisation.
- An issue or problem emerges for the government
- Ideas for addressing it are considered
- Interested people and groups are consulted
- Cabinet ministers agree which proposals to take forward
- Proposals become ‘bills’
- Parliament considers and scrutinises bills
What are the 3 main purposes of NICE?
- To carry out assessments of the most appropriate treatment regimes for different diseases
- must account FOR both desired medical outcomes (i.e. the best possible result for the patient) and economic arguments regarding differing treatments
- To bring together expertise from the royal medical colleges, professional bodies and patient/carer organisations which draw up the guidelines
How is the policy effectiveness evaluated?
Through measures, study designs and other considerations.