Curriculum standards
Entrustable Professional Activities
LG11: Policy analysis, development, and planning
Policy analysis, development, and planning
Develop, influence, and lead policy to improve public health and purposefully address aspects of health inequities
This activity requires the ability to:
- identify the public health context and prevention objectives
- identify, consult, and engage with key internal and external stakeholders across the policy development cycle
- gather and analyse public health information and evidence to support policy planning, development, and analysis
- identify policy gaps and options, and assess their benefits, costs, and risks
- apply priority setting methods to identify policy recommendations for action, including consideration of ethical criteria, demonstrating accountability for providing recommendations
- prepare well-written policies or guidelines for submission or approval, including a clear public health rationale, demonstrating the ability to make decisions in setting policy
- determine the best policy options, demonstrating accountability and the ability to make decisions in policy development
Professional practice framework domain
Medical expertise
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- use process guidelines to determine the health needs of populations to inform policy development
- use process guidelines to determine the health impacts of planned policies, such as new zoning laws for industrial use
- develop and use goals, targets, and indicators suitable for the purpose and context
- identify and use relevant tools to define criteria for the assessment of priority, such as the burden of disease, effectiveness, value for money, acceptability, ethics, and equity
- develop policy options for further discussion
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- outline the approach to assessing the health needs of the population
- suggest goals, targets, and indicators appropriate to the context
- identify different measures of health burden in the population
Communication
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- explain the potential benefits, risks, costs, and potential consequences of policy options
- use clear language appropriate to the audience
- identify stakeholder concerns and expectations, and provide adequate explanations on the rationale for chosen options
- use written or visual material or other aids that are accurate and up to date to support discussions with the team, stakeholders, and policy makers
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- use available tools, under supervision, to communicate to diverse audiences
- seek feedback on communication skills in different settings
Quality and safety
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- include evaluation and quality improvement in policy steps and policy writing
- use goals, targets, and indicators as part of performance monitoring frameworks
- identify adverse outcomes that may result from proposed policy options
- analyse quality and safety outcomes for a range of cultural and population groups
- analyse quality and safety outcomes for self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori (tangata whenua)
- prioritise population impact and value, and sustainability and accountability
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- describe quality indicators relevant to policy development
Teaching and learning
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- use appropriate guidelines, evidence sources, and decision support tools
- make and use opportunities to teach junior colleagues
- undertake continuing professional development to maintain currency in policy skills
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- undertake professional development to build policy skills
Research
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- define populations or communities that are likely to be impacted by policies
- gather and synthesise relevant information to use evidence and information
- use suitable quantitative and qualitative methods to describe health needs and impacts
- use evidence to support policy rationale and define policy options
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- consult current research or investigations
- identify and source suitable evidence under direction
Cultural safety
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- assess policy from historical, cultural, and inequity perspectives
- engage early and respectfully with culturally diverse communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori (tangata whenua), for policy development and evaluation
- consult with communities and stakeholders to identify preferred policy options
- consider obligations to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori (tangata whenua) in priority settings and their rights to define cultural safety
- develop policy that is intersectoral and cross-jurisdictional
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- consider cultural and religious backgrounds, attitudes, and beliefs, and how these might impact potential policy options
Ethics and professional behaviour
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- analyse policy from an equity perspective
- identify and apply ethical criteria and principles, such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, utility, proportionality, transparency, and negative externalities
- promote and support self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori (tangata whenua)
- prioritise population impact and value, and sustainability and accountability, in policy analysis and development
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- access national statements on ethics, including across diverse populations
- be aware of processes and frameworks for ethical decision making
Judgement and decision making
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- evaluate the costs, benefits, and potential risks of each policy option
- demonstrate understanding of appropriate economic evaluation of policy options, such as cost minimisation analysis, cost effectiveness analysis, and cost benefit analysis
- consider important economic issues, such as efficiency, equality, opportunity cost, margin, and discounting, and value judgements and limitations
- consider the potential trade-offs between equity and efficiency
- recognise the contextual influences on policy development, such as economic, political, sociocultural, technological, legal, and historical factors
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- recognise personal limitations and seek help in an appropriate way when required
- recognise the contextual influences on policy development and implementation, such as economic, political, and sociocultural factors
Leadership, management, and teamwork
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- lead team and stakeholder meetings
- manage suitable consultation processes
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- lead team and stakeholder meetings under direct supervision
Health policy, systems, and advocacy
Ready to perform without supervision
Expected behaviours of a trainee who can routinely perform this activity without needing supervision
The trainee will:
- manage resource use and limitations in the context of policy development and planning
- identify strategies that enable successful policy implementation
- identify factors that may lead to the failure of policy implementation, and how these can be managed
Requires some supervision
Possible behaviours of a trainee who needs some supervision to perform this activity
The trainee may:
- recognise stages in policy development