Key Area 3: Policy and strategy development and implementation
This area of practice focuses on influencing the development of policies, implementing strategies to put the policies into effect and assessing the impact of policies on health.
A policy is a principle adopted that governs and guides strategy.
A strategy is a formally planned set of actions taken over a long term to address a particular issue.
Learning experiences
By the end of phase 1 trainees will comprehend how public health policy is developed and implemented. They will be able to analyse, in a theoretical context, the effect of policies on health. They will be familiar with national policy for major public health issues. They will devise strategy for problems of low weight and complexity.
By the end of phase 2 trainees will begin to address more complex strategic problems.
By the end of phase 3 trainees will translate national policy into local action, explain the implications and health impact of policy and strategy. They will create and justify policy and strategy for problems of high weight and complexity communicating appropriately for lay, managerial and professional audiences.
Potential vehicles for the demonstration of this competence area include:
- Writing an essay or dissertation
- Preparing a health impact assessment
- Developing a local policy
- Writing a paper for a Board meeting or equivalent
- Leading the local implementation of a national policy
Potential settings for the demonstration of this competence area:
By the end of training trainees will be expected to have worked on policy analysis, development and implementation in each of the three public health domains (health protection, health improvement and service quality).
Trainees will be expected to appraise the evidence and values that underpin policies and must demonstrate clear understanding of related strategies.
Understanding and development of policy and strategy may relate to local, national or international aspects of health.
Links to Knowledge and Skills Framework
- C4: Service improvement
- C5: Quality
- HWB1: Promotion of health and well being and prevention of adverse effects on health and wellbeing
- G5: Services and Project Management
Knowledge Base
- Theories of strategic planning.
- Principal approaches to policy formation, implementation and evaluation including the relevance of concepts of power, interests and ideology.
- Knowledge of major national and international policies relevant to public health.
- Methods of assessing the impact of policies on health.