Q1- What are the dominant influences on the development and implementation of health policy? Use a specific health policy to support your discussion.

In this assignment we would expect to see the following:

• Consideration of a current or former health policy initiative - this could be state or national health policy

• Use the policy cycle to look at factors that influenced development and implementation of the chosen policy - exploring aspects relating to

o How did the policy get onto the policy agenda- consider the dominant influencing factors?
o Critique stakeholder engagement activity and influence- did advocacy groups have a role to play?
o How was the policy implemented or not implemented? - focus on factors that facilitated or limited implementation. The latter could relate to the recent GP co-payment which never got through parliament and is an interesting policy in terms of the lack of engagement with key groups.
o Which groups are important for implementation and how well have these groups been consulted?

• Explore possible gaps between policy (as intent) and practice i.e. was the policy enacted and implemented in the way the government expected - if there are gaps what are these and what influenced these gaps.

Q2. Discuss different theoretical approaches to explaining health policy agenda setting. Use a specific health issue to support your discussion.

In this assignment we would expect to see the following:

• Outline the health policy in question (keep this brief)
• Consider the policy in relation to different policy agenda setting theoretical models
• Use different theoretical lenses to explore how the particular policy got onto the policy agenda
• Consider and critique the roles different groups played in the agenda setting - who held the power and influence?
• Critique the role of government in relation to agenda setting and the chosen health policy -was this effective public policy making, why not?