Policy Power and Politics in Health Care Provision

This document discusses the concept of policy power and politics in health care provision. It explores the policy cycle and the impact of sociological issues on health. It also examines the role of power in policy formulation and implementation. Additionally, it provides considerations for obesity and smoke-free policies.

Running head: POLICY POWER AND POLITICS IN HEALTH CARE PROVISION
Policy Power and Politics in Health Care Provision
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Institutional Affiliation

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Policy Power and Politics in Health Care Provision
Q. 1. Policy Cycle
Policies are mandatory steps rules or steps that guide the process of making decisions within
institutions. In most cases, policies are established in accordance with the mission and vision of
the organization with the aim of guiding the organization towards a goal-oriented future.
According to Brigman and Davis (2015), it is recommended that policies are formulated by
following policy cycles. Hortchl, Perycek, and Schollhammer (2015) define a policy cycle as a
breakdown or division of the main policy into a series of steps that are iterative with the goal of
ensuring positive outcomes for the public.
Policy cycle may range from four iterative steps to eight steps. The major components of
a policy cycle are the issue identification, analysis of the options available for the issue at hand,
consultation with the relevant stakeholders, identification of the instruments for the policy,
coordination of the resources available, implementation, and finally the evaluation stage where
the outcomes are compared to the expectations. The process is iterative, implying that it has to
be repeated. This renders the policy cycle an efficient process in policy development.
Some advantages of policy cycle are the ability to focus on each stage independently,
hence making sure that there are maximum positive outcomes. Additionally, in case there is a
weakness in a given stage, it becomes easier to focus on a given stage and make maximum
utilization when making decisions. Additionally, policies are meant to benefit the whole nation.
According to Smith (2014), the iterative process in the policy formulation and implementation
allows the stakeholders to reflect on areas that need improvement and make changes that can be

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easily assimilated into the program. This is especially important as it allows all the interests of
stakeholders such as consumers and interest groups are catered for before making decision.
Q. 4. Sociological issues and their impact on health
Different societies are impacted by different issues that impact the normal functioning of society.
These issues may affect a significant number of people in a given society, making it impossible
for the members to cope with the problems they face. Sociological problems are problems that
emanate at the society level and impact the normal functioning of the entire society (Wright %
Almavista, 2016). These problems tend to have a significant impact on the members of the
society and may impede development of the members of the society. One major impact of the
sociological problems is that they have adverse effect on the health of the society.
Some examples of sociological problems include poverty and literacy levels. When
people live in poverty, they cannot afford quality education. Their living conditions also expose
them to risks of communicable diseases that place them at risk. There is also a high chance of
people to engage in social crimes such as prostitution and drug abuse with the goal of raising
income to cater for their basic needs. This leads to spread of sexually transmitted diseases and
other infections.
The level of education and literacy is another sociological issue that affects people’s
health. When people are educated, they become aware of how they can protect themselves from
infections and disease-causing germs. They also learn to invest in their future, making them less
dependent when they age. However, when people are ignorant of their health, they hardly take
care of their environment. They instead engage in practices that harm their environment and
people around them (Leisink, Bosilie, Bottenburg, & Holsking, 2013). They hardly make

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savings for their future and expect that the government should shoulder the responsibility of
keeping them safe and healthy. As a result, sociological problems have adverse impact on health
of people in any given society.
Q. 5. Policy and Power
Formulation, evaluation, and implementation of policies involve power processes where
individuals are mandated with the responsibility of exercising authority within defined limits.
Policy making is all about power and authority. In the concept of policy formulation and
implementation, the concept of power readily comes in to define the responsibilities of those
mandated to carry out responsibilities and those that are assigned tasks. According to Arts
(2014), policies are formulated by politicians. As a result, the concept of power in the policy
making process involves political power. Politicians have an influence on the successful
formulation and implementation of policies. The actors are the people mandated with the
responsibility of making sure that the policy is formulated and implemented.
According to Nair and Howlett (2015), the whole process of formulation of policies
revolves around power. People have to be empowered to make policies and implement them.
The process of making decisions also entails power. Policy formulators need power and
authority for them to decide what suits the consumers of the policy. This makes it nearly
impossible for one to understand the concept of power in policy development and change,
considering that decisions have to be made from those that are mandated with power.
Policy development and change requires planning, stakeholder engagement and
consultation, and governance. Allocation of resources emanates from political figures to the
consumers. These steps and processes cannot be accomplished in absence of power. There has to

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be someone in charge of resources to direct the efforts of people and other stakeholders towards
a common goal. The person has to be endowed with political power to channel the interests of
many people towards a common goal. Any change that takes place on the policy may face
resistance and it is only when the person is empowered that one can come up with sufficient
measures for change.
Q. 6. Consideration for Obesity Policy Campaign
Obesity has grown to become one of the major issues of concern. Unless different policies are
formulated and implemented, Australia is at risk of becoming an obese nation in the near future.
Since the social determinants of obesity such as dietary consumption and lifestyle standards are
already documented, public campaigns policies should take into consideration some key points
before developing the policies.
The first area of concern is the time of formulation and implementation. Since the rate of
obesity is increasing daily, the formulation of the policy should be a priority. The next step is the
evaluation and monitoring. This involves evaluating the regulations set in place and determining
whether food organizations are following the policy and how the public is responding to the
desired changes. A key point of concern is on how the regulators and other stakeholders respond
to the recommended changes. According to Food Policy Index Australia (2017), the government
should inspect the foods regularly to make sure that there is proper labeling and correct
information about advertisement. When people are aware of the regulations in place, they will
work with the government to make sure that there is a positive outcome from the policy.
Another area of concern is to check on food promotions and advertisements. According
to Ayoub (2015), food policies should regulate the advertisement of sugary and sweet foods to

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limit exposure to foods that have been linked to obesity. The places of advertisement should also
be restricted to prevent temptation and exposure to children that are at risk of consuming these
foods. Obesity is a national issue that requires the efforts of the government, food agencies, and
consumers. Unless the policy campaign seeks to bring together the stakeholders and presents a
timely intervention, it will take time before the real solution is identified and implemented.
Q. 6: Smoke Free environmental Policy in Campus
Smoking has an adverse health impact both to the smoker and non-smokers. However, the
implementation of a smoke free policy should not interfere with the rights of the smokers. As a
result, when formulating a smoke free policy, I will make sure that I have protected the rights of
smokers. This will make sure that both smokers and non-smokers support the policy for proper
implementation. Another factor to take into consideration is the communication with the
stakeholders. Communication opens room for people to understand what is happening and
support the changes. I will create posters and create a public channel for communicating about
the progress. There will be a public forum for students to share their views and support about the
policy and how they feel about its potential on them. According to Cancer Council of Western
Australia, consumers of the policy are likely to support it when they are involved in its
formulation. This will enhance transparency and eliminate resistance to change.
Another factor to consider is the consequences for non-compliance. There are high
chances that it is not all students that will support the policy. According to Australian Medical
Students Association, consequences should be clear and fair, including counseling services.
Some students may be unaware of the location of the smoking facilities. As a result, there is a
need for support in training and proper communication to improve awareness while at the same

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time enforcing the policy. The consequences should not make students rebellious. The
consequences should make them aware of change and why they need to support the policy. The
final factor I will take into consideration is the evaluation and monitoring. Monitoring will make
sure that the policy follows the required procedures and that it is meeting its purpose.
Monitoring also helps identify areas that need improvement and the necessary adjustments for
improvement.

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References
Ayoub, P., J. (2015). Proposed policy priorities for preventing obesity and diabetes in the
Eastern
Mediterranean Region. World Health Organization. Retrieved from
http://applications.emro.who.int/docs/emropub_2017_20141.pdf?ua=1&ua=1
Arts, M., J. (2014). Policy and power: A conceptual framework between the ‘old’ and ‘new’
policy idioms. Policy Sciences 37(3), 339-356. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227321853_Policy_and_power_A_conceptual_
framework_between_the_'old'_and_'new'_policy_idioms
Australian Medical Students Association (2017). Policy document for tobacco free campus
environment. AMSA. Retrieved from https://amsa.org.au/sites/amsa.org.au/files/Tobacco
%20Free%20Campuses%20%282016%29.pdf
Bridgman, P. & Davis, G. (2015). What use is a policy cycle? Plenty, if the aim is clear.
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Cancer Council Western Australia (2017). Creating a smoke free environments. Retrieved from
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Food Policy Index Australia (2017). Policies for tackling obesity and creating healthier food
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_Report_v3.pdf

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Hotchtl, L., Perycek, P., & Schollhammer, R. (2015). Big data in the policy cycle: Policy
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Nair, S. & Howlett, . (2015). Meaning and power in the design and development of policy
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