PH7019 Leadership and Health Policy Development Assessment Brief 2025

PH7019 Summary of assessment task and rationale

Part 1 (Written submission): Health policy analysis report (Group task) 
Part 2 (Oral presentation): Leadership debate (Group task and individual contributions)

PH7019 Part 1: Health policy analysis report (Group task). 

As a group you will analyze a health policy of your choosing. You will apply a recognized policy analysis tool to structure your analysis which is:

• Ethically informed. 
• Relevant to the field of public health. 
• Structured using a recognized policy analysis framework.
• Is the product of the group working together, but with each individual taking responsibility for discrete elements of the analysis.

This will lead to the submission of a 2,000 word policy analysis report. All students in the group must submit the same report. 

PH7019 Part 2: Leadership debate

In your assigned groups, you will be required to split into two debate teams.  One team will argue for the policy (proponents), and the other will argue against it (opponents). Each team should use the findings from the policy analysis as a foundation for their arguments, drawing on your leadership skills. Your debate should make strong reference to leadership and change management theories and principles. 

1.Debate Structure: Each group will have 10 minutes to present their case, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session where the panel of assessors (faculty) will ask questions.

• Proponents: Argue that your chosen health policy is effective and necessary, focusing on:

• Its potential benefits for public health or health systems.
• The alignment with public health priorities.
• Positive impacts on equity, efficiency, and long-term public health outcomes.
• How leadership principles and change management theories support the successful implementation and sustainability of the policy.

• Opponents: Challenge the policy by highlighting:

• Potential drawbacks, such as unintended consequences or negative impacts.
• Flaws in implementation, considering leadership and change management barriers.
• Issues of equity, efficiency, or feasibility, emphasising how the policy could exacerbate disparities or fail to achieve intended outcomes.
• Challenges in adapting the policy to real-world conditions, referencing leadership failures or change management struggles.

Debate Guidelines:

• Opening Arguments (5 minutes per team): Each team orally presents a well-structured case.  
• Counterarguments (3 minutes per team): Each team refutes the opposing team's claims.
• Closing Arguments (2 minutes per team): Summarise your key points and emphasise why your stance is stronger.
• Q&A: The panel will ask questions for 5 minutes, challenging both teams to defend their arguments with evidence and logic.

PH7019 Learning outcomes that will be assessed

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of health policy development that enables the student to critically analyse a health policy using a recognized analytical framework, demonstrating an in-depth understanding of the policy's origins, objectives, key priorities, stakeholders, unintended consequences, and implementation feasibility.
2. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to developing evidence-based arguments for and against a health policy, demonstrating the ability to construct logical, persuasive arguments in a debate setting while considering diverse stakeholder perspectives. 
3. Critically apply leadership and change management theories in the context of policy analysis and debate, and develop strategies to enhance leadership effectiveness in policy development and implementation.
4. Demonstrate teamwork and collaboration skills in conducting policy analysis and preparing for the debate, ensuring effective communication, coordination, and the equitable distribution of tasks within the group.

PH7019 Guidance on the completion of the assessment task

A good policy analysis report would include: 

• A clear health policy selection that is relevant to current global or national public health issues, ensuring the policy is well-documented and has clear impacts on health systems or populations.
• A detailed framework application using tools such as the Davies (2008) Provenance of a Policy Framework or a PESTLE analysis to provide a structured and in-depth examination of the policy’s origins, objectives, and overall impact.
• A clear policy analysis that defines the policy’s primary purpose, key priorities, and the problem it addresses, while highlighting both the issues it tackles and those it may overlook. It should examine the main stakeholders involved in its
• development and implementation, assess any unintended consequences such as inequities or inefficiencies, and evaluate its feasibility in terms of resources, capacity, and long-term sustainability.

A good leadership debate would include:

• A strong argumentation for debate. Groups will develop clear, evidence-based arguments both for and against the policy. Make sure each argument is well-structured, logically presented, and supported with relevant data or examples that strengthen your position.
• Demonstrate an awareness of leadership principles and change management theories and explain how they apply to the policy’s development and successful implementation.
• Demonstrate effective teamwork and collaboration throughout the policy analysis and debate preparation process. Ensure tasks are divided equitably and that each team member contributes meaningfully to the analysis and presentation.

Respond thoughtfully to questions from the panel during the Q&A session. Defend your arguments, providing well-reasoned responses that consider opposing viewpoints or new information presented by the panel.