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Integrative Policy and Practice Exercise

Module description

Tying together the threads of complexity, leadership and decision-making, you will gather for an intensive week of professional skills development and realistic simulation in responding to a real public health problem, in real time. Beginning with a series of skills seminars in professional communication, negotiation and strategy development and supported by case-based learning, you will draw together the different tools, skills and frameworks developed over the course of the year and hone their application in public health decision-making. The concluding two and a half days of the module will feature a simulation where, in groups, you will develop arguments based on evidence and analysis to negotiate an evidence-based solution to a pressing public health issue. Assessment will include reflection on the simulation experience and summary and advanced appraisal of evidence for the chosen position.

Face-to-face scheduled lectures may be replaced by pre-recorded overview lectures, with learning consolidated by self-directed learning resources and ELE activities.

Workshops involving face-to-face classroom teaching may be replaced by synchronous sessions on Teams/Zoom.

Module aims - intentions of the module

You will develop and consolidate their understanding of:

• Systems thinking regarding the dynamic interactions among sectors, organizations, and actors with which public health professionals interact to achieve health improvements

• Legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy, the roles, influences, and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government, and approaches to developing, evaluating, and advocating for public health policies

• Concepts, methods, and tools of public health data collection, analysis and interpretation, and the evidence-based reasoning and informatics approaches that are essential  to public health practice

• Biological, environmental, socio-economic, behavioral, cultural, and other factors that impact human health, influence the global and societal burden of disease, and contribute to health disparities

• Principles of effective functioning within and across organizations and as members of interdisciplinary and interprofessional teams

• The cultural context of public health issues and respectful engagement with people of different cultures and socioeconomic strata

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
• 2. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges
• 3. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
• 5. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content
• 6. Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making
• 8. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

• Revisiting complexity in policy and practice
• Evidence: briefs, analysis and presentation to stakeholders
• Negotiation and strategy within and between organisations
• Introduction to policy and practice simulation
• Simulation in teams, including midpoint debrief
• Team presentations

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Please refer to the TQA section on Referral/Deferral: http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/consequenceoffailure/

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Campos, P.A. & Reich, M.R. (2019). Political analysis for health policy implementation. Health Systems & Reform 5(3): 224-235.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=6036

Key words search

Human health, environment, health, public health, global health, climate change, environmental change, sustainability, adaptation, mitigation, renewable energy, one health, policy.