17 Characteristics of Good

Policy

Policy in Health Services Management

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 17 Characteristics Of Good Policy

1. The outcome is 5. Stakeholders have

clearly stated been included
2. Assumptions are 6. Public interest has
explicit been given a high
3. There is a linkage to priority
government 7. Political
direction expectations have
4. Due process has been met
been observed

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 17 Characteristics Of Good Policy

8. The policy is likely to 11. There is the capacity

be effective to evaluate the
9. The policy is both policy
efficient and cost 12. It is properly funded
effective
10.There is 13. There is
measurability accountability

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 17 Characteristics Of Good Policy

14. It is lawful
15. It is enforceable
16. It is historically informed
17.There has been a testing of ideas

4
 THE OUTCOME IS CLEARLY
STATED

Public policy is purposeful. Good policy

therefore must state the purpose or
outcome to be attained. The statement
must be clear and unambiguous.

5
 THE OUTCOME IS CLEARLY
STATED

Correct identification of the policy issue

and the options to address it are essential
to a clear statement of policy outcomes

6
ASSUMPTIONS ARE EXPLICIT

Any assumptions made in development of

a policy should be explicit, so they can be
tested. For example, an assumption about
a stakeholder's position must be openly
stated so the stakeholder can verify or
correct the assumption.

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ASSUMPTIONS ARE EXPLICIT

Making, but not testing, assumptions is

one of the most risky yet common
strategies encountered in policy work.

8
 THERE IS A LINKAGE TO
GOVERNMENT DIRECTION

Policy officers must link their work to the

Government's direction. Government
policy frameworks are found in statements
of general policy or documents such as
party political platforms, Acts of general
application, particular Acts and cabinet
decisions.

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 THERE IS A LINKAGE TO
GOVERNMENT DIRECTION

These documents will not always give

officers clear guidance about particular
policy issues. However, they will provide
strategic direction, and will be important
for assessing government's political
expectations.

10
 DUE PROCESS HAS BEEN
OBSERVED

Public policy must be developed in an

orderly way for Ministers to make well-
informed decisions. Cabinet and related
policy processes are about containing
Ministers' workloads, ensuring policy is
properly coordinated and developed in an
orderly way.

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STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN
INCLUDED

One of the most challenging aspects of

policy related work is including
stakeholders in the process. 'Stakeholders'
are individuals, institutions, businesses
and other organizations with an interest in
the policy issue.

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STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN
INCLUDED

Their interests may be about the costs or

benefits to the stakeholder, matters of
principle, or academic concerns

13
STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN
INCLUDED

The Government requires policy officers to

include stakeholders in policy
development. Policy officers must
therefore:

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STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN
INCLUDED
identify stakeholders
develop an appropriate consultation strategy;
consult Ministers or cabinet on the desired
consultation strategy;
implement the consultation strategy;
record stakeholder input;
use stakeholder inputs to improve policy
development and acceptance; and
conduct further consultation as required.
15
PUBLIC INTEREST HAS BEEN
GIVEN A HIGH PRIORITY

Stakeholders' views are important.

However, government acts in the public
interest, not in the stakeholders' interests.
It is very common for different
stakeholders to have competing interests
and it may be impossible to reconcile the
differences

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PUBLIC INTEREST HAS BEEN
GIVEN A HIGH PRIORITY
Public interest cannot be measured
precisely. It does not equate to pleasing
everyone and it is not the same as public
opinion or popularity. An action may be in
the public interest yet unpopular.
Government decisions to increase taxation
are often in this category, although the
purpose for which the extra revenue is
used may be very popular
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PUBLIC INTEREST HAS BEEN
GIVEN A HIGH PRIORITY

While practitioners may give advice about

the views of stakeholders, the various
options and the implications, costs and
benefits of each, the determination of what
is in the public interest is essentially a
political decision.

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 POLITICAL EXPECTATIONS
HAVE BEEN MET
Public policy operates in the political
realm.Thus practitioners working on public
policy must acknowledge and
accommodate the expectations of the
political decision-makers

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 POLITICAL EXPECTATIONS
HAVE BEEN MET
This does not mean that public servants
must behave politically in their work - their
obligation is to be neutral and objective -
but they must work to deliver to
government ideas and options that meet
political expectations.

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THE POLICY IS LIKELY TO BE
EFFECTIVE

Good policy will deliver the desired

outcomes effectively. This can only
happen if there are cause and effect
linkages between the outputs and the
desired outcomes. That is, carrying out the
policy causes the desired outcomes to
take place.

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THE POLICY IS BOTH EFFICIENT
AND COST EFFECTIVE

Policies must not only be effective; they

must also be efficient. Efficiency is about
value for money - the greatest effect for
the least cost. Policy that is cheap to run
and effective will be preferable to policy
that is more expensive and equally or
even slightly more effective

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THE POLICY IS BOTH EFFICIENT
AND COST EFFECTIVE

Administrative overheads should be

critically examined to ensure unnecessary
burdens are not built into implementation.
This may range from unnecessary
information on forms to new large-scale
infrastructure.

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THE POLICY IS BOTH EFFICIENT
AND COST EFFECTIVE

Efficiency is also relevant to social policy

and political considerations.

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 THERE IS MEASURABILITY

The policy outcomes should be

measurable; ie there should be observable
indicators that the policy has had an effect.
This is important for review of policies.

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THERE IS THE CAPACITY TO
EVALUATE THE POLICY

Good policies are designed so they can be

monitored for effectiveness and efficiency,
and adjusted in light of experience.

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 IT IS PROPERLY FUNDED

Policies must be properly costed, and

funds identified for implementation as if
the policy is a new initiative, outside the
existing budget.

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 THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability for the proper use of State

powers and resources is built into the
policy.

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 IT IS LAWFUL

Good policy is lawful. That is, the policy is

supported properly by the law and will not
fail a challenge in court.

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 IT IS ENFORCEABLE

Good policy is practical, and therefore

enforceable where applicable.
Enforcement is not solely a matter for
public servants and police. Sometimes,
enforcement is a matter for private
individuals

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IT IS HISTORICALLY INFORMED

Practitioners should conduct proper policy

audits and be aware of past experiences,
thus preventing 'new' proposals
reinventing the wheel.

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THERE HAS BEEN A TESTING
OF IDEAS

Good policy proposals are subject to the

Think, Do, Test mini-cycle before approval
is sought

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THERE HAS BEEN A TESTING
OF IDEAS

Sometimes this means field testing, but

often policy can be tested through
consultation with regional and field staff
who understand practical limits and
possibilities, and with clients and other
stakeholders, often gradually widening the
scope of the consultation

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THERE HAS BEEN A TESTING
OF IDEAS

If political sensitivities limit consultation,

testing can be even more important. Best-
and worst-case scenario questions are
useful for testing policies. An historical
inquiry (see above) may be useful for
testing a policy proposal.

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 Summary
17 Characteristics of Good Policy
The outcome is clearly Stakeholders have
stated been included
Assumptions are explicit
Public interest has
There is a linkage to
been given a high
government direction
priority
Due process has been
observed Political expectations
have been met

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 Summary
17 Characteristics Of Good Policy
The policy is likely to There is the capacity
be effective to evaluate the policy
The policy is both It is properly funded
efficient and cost There is
effective accountability
There is measurability

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 Summary
17 Characteristics Of Good Policy

It is lawful
It is enforceable
It is historically informed
There has been a testing of ideas

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