Outline

Overview

This unit of study offers students an insight into the larger picture of how a nation sets priorities for health services. The importance of evidence-based health policy development in planning health services and strategies for increasing the cost-effectiveness of delivering health services will be covered. Students will gain skills in health service needs assessment, measuring cost-effectiveness, macroeconomic evaluation of health services and systems, and health equity assessment. It is envisaged that students will develop a capacity to understand the concept of health policy and its relevance to the delivery of health care services and to take a problem-oriented approach to analysing and evaluating current policy provisions and strategies in the Australian context.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Health Sciences
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	(HSBH1007 or HSBH2007) OR 12cp of 2000-level units of study
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Sophie Lewis, sophie.lewis@sydney.edu.au
Guest lecturer(s)	Kate O'Loughlin, kate.oloughlin@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Sophie Lewis, sophie.lewis@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Presentation	Project plan oral presentation Group project presentation	30%	Multiple weeks	20 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Reflection task Reflection on policy concepts and process	25%	Week 08 Due date: 10 Oct 2021 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Project report Project report	45%	Week 13 Due date: 14 Nov 2021 at 23:59	2000 words solo; 3000 words pair
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assessments for this unit are different to those listed in the Handbook and have been updated to reflect changes in unit delivery due to the current COVID-19 situation

Reflection task: Using a journal format the aim of this assessment is to reflect on and discuss the core concepts and analytical tools applied in the policy process to demonstrate the following: knowledge and understanding of policy process, role of key stakeholders, understanding of cost effectiveness and evaluation of policy, and relevance of these issues to your group project.
Group project presentation: In small groups you will identify a contemporary health policy issue and approach (a list of policy options will be provided). You will present a plan for your chosen policy issue (e.g. position paper/policy briefing or evaluation of a policy). This includes using evidence to provide a brief overview of the specific policy area; and identifying the stakeholder position on the issue (briefing/position paper) or approach to be used in evaluating the policy (policy analysis). This presentation will build towards your final assessment task to develop a project report.
Project report: Building on the group presentation, you will write a position paper with accompanying policy brief or evaluate a recent Commonwealth or State/Territory health policy (list of policy options will be provided). You will work in your small groups, but you will produce your own individual report (2000 words) or you can choose to produce a report in pairs (3000 words).

Students must complete all the assessment tasks to pass the entire unit. Failure to complete any assessment item will result in being awarded a Fail grade, regardless of cumulative marks in the unit of study.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Written work submitted electronically after 11.59 pm on the due date will be considered to have been submitted late. For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date, a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	What is health policy and how do we analyse it?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Policy approaches and strategies for policy change	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Stakeholders in policy and their influence	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Cultural diversity and inclusion	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 05	Stakeholder perspective: Council on the Ageing (COTA)	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Stakeholder perspective: NSW Department of Communities and Justice	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Reforming policy: Aged care case study	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Moving beyond the individual: Obesity case study	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Policy approaches to reduce harm: Alcohol and other drugs case study	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Group project presentations	Presentation (2 hr)
Week 11	Group project presentations	Presentation (2 hr)
Week 12	Online consultation for written report	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

At present, all material will be delivered online until at least the end of August (4 weeks). Depending on the pandemic situation we may or may not be back on Campus after that but we will keep you informed.

Lectures will be delivered entirely online via Zoom during the scheduled lecture time – Tuesday 10am-12noon – in Weeks 1-10. The tutorials will be run online in Weeks 2-7 and in online drop-in sessions via Zoom in Weeks 8-12. There are no scheduled tutorials in Week 1. Group presentations will be scheduled in the lecture time slot in Week 11 and 12.

Students are expected to attend all scheduled lectures online via Zoom. The content delivered each week is critical to your learning and to meet the learning objectives. Material discussed in the lectures or provided online is regarded as having been provided to all students in the unit.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Barraclough, S., & Gardner, H. (Eds.). (2008). Analysing health policy: A problem-oriented approach. Marrickville, NSW: Elsevier.
Buse, K., Mays, N., & Walt, G. (Eds.). (2012) Making health policy. Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, Open University Press

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. understand the concept of health policy and the relationship between social equity and health policy
LO2. identify the key structural and institutional factors shaping health policy and service delivery
LO3. understand the different approaches to analysing policy and apply these in assessing the health status and health service needs of Australians
LO4. develop an understanding of health needs assessment and evaluation of the macro-economic aspects of health services
LO5. critically evaluate formal health policy; write a policy position paper and policy brief from a stakeholder’s perspective.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Adjustments required due to Covid-19 include delivering teaching materials online. Assessment tasks have been reduced from 4 to 3.

Additional information

Student Administration Manual on the Faculty of Health Sciences

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

HSBH3003: Health Service Strategy and Policy

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links