Enrolments for 2021 have closed.
Policy and Planning in Health Care
Postgraduate | ACU-HLSC607 | 2021
Course information for 2021 intake
View information for 2022 course intake- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks weeks
FEE-HELP available
Policy and Planning in Health Care
About this subject
On successful completion of this Policy and Planning in Health Care, students should be able to:
- Justify how contemporary Australian policy making can influence equitable access to health care and the financial burden of illness
- Evaluate current policies impacting upon the healthcare workforce and their influence on quality health care in Australia
- Create strategies that potentially can lead to health reform, and an improvement in health service delivery or more equitable financing in the Australian health care system, with particular reference to socially disadvantaged population groups
- Public policy analysis and healthcare
- Contemporary policies that impact on aspects of health service delivery:
- Policies impacting on the Australian healthcare workforce
- Health policies for disadvantaged groups, including
- Reforming health policymaking
As an aspiring health care leader, it is essential for students to understand the contexts within which healthcare decisions are made including social, economic, political and technological contexts, among others. While many healthcare decisions are made at the local level, decisions made at policy level will have an impact on all levels of health care and on all practitioners working within the health care system. Accordingly, this subject supports students in developing the ability to plan, implement and evaluate policy-related strategies that promote effective, culturally safe health service administration in a variety of health settings and among diverse communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Students will also be supported to develop specialised skills in analysing and evaluating solutions to complex problems that are associated with policy development, planning and implementation as well as the consequential outcomes of policy decisions.
This subject provides the opportunity for students to analyse issues that relate to policy development, planning and implementation in health care service delivery in Australia. This subject is founded on a social justice and equity framework with a special focus on evaluating policies that impact on the health of disadvantaged people, as well as on strategies that will reform policymaking, delivery and financing of health care in Australia.
The aim of this subject is to provide opportunity for students to explore policy decision-making processes, to analyse underlying assumptions associated with policy decisions, to evaluate outcomes of policy decisions and to appraise potential issues for policy reform.
In order to become effective at improving healthcare outcomes through effective policy and planning approaches, the student must first develop comprehensive knowledge of the Australian healthcare system and of policy making processes. This is demonstrated via their participation in class discussions with both their peers and with the lecturer resulting in development of a critical review of current policy, a critical evaluation of the underlying assumptions that led to the policy decision and a critical evaluation of the policymaking outcome/s.
In the second assessment task, students are required to collaborate with peers in an online environment to evaluate some of the challenges facing healthcare policymakers as well as population groups and healthcare providers on whom policy decisions impact.
The final assessment task involves writing an essay, report or proposal identifying a health-related issue in need of policy reform and to develop a policy aimed at addressing the issue, relevant to a disadvantaged population group. Students will be required to evaluate the potential impact of their policy decision on health outcomes for the identified population group.- Written Research Policy Review (30%)
- Group Work Discussion (20%)
- Report / Proposal / Essay (50%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
Established in 1991 after amalgamating four eastern Australian Catholic tertiary institutes, Australian Catholic University now has seven campuses, from Brisbane to Melbourne and welcomes students of all beliefs. Specialising in arts, business, education, health sciences, law, theology and philosophy, ACU encourages its students to think critically and ethically and bring change to their communities and offer this online through Open Universities Australia.
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- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
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Entry requirements
To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted into a degree.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.