Social Policy - Coursework Example

Social Policy Table of Contents Introduction 2 A Brief Overview of the Local Trust Smoking Policy 3 Analysis of the Local Trust Smoking Policy by Using the Structure of Watt and Gibson 4 Analysis of the Content Using Colebatch Framework 6 Exploration of the Context Using PEST 8 Analysis of the Process Using Buse, Mays and Waltt 2012 Framework 10 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction The term social policy is regarded as the study conducted for determining social relations that tend to develop human wellbeing and mechanisms based on which the same can be promoted in this changed societal settings (Dean, 2012; Beland, 2010). The prime roles of social policy are identified to be correlated with social, political as well as financial spheres. In this regard, one of the major roles of social policy is reckoned adopting and following effective guidelines for transforming along with enhancing the living situations that are found to be conducive towards the segment of human welfare (Hernandez & et. al., 2011; Nesbitt, 2001). Apart from this, the other role of social policy is determined to be empowering the community people in the form of altering varied institutions (Kanbur, 2006). Specially mentioning, several social policies are noted to be introduced and executed in this modern day context for the fulfilment of certain predetermined objectives. In this similar context, such objectives can be ascertained as developing the norms of social justice by promotion of social justice as well as deliverance of equal opportunities and increasing social security by building protection against several sorts of risks (Kennett, 2004). Apart from these, the other objectives mainly included strengthening social peace and ensuring common prosperity amid the community members (Federal Administration, 2011). Amongst the prevalence of varied social policies, a local trust based smoking policy is ascertained to be a prime one, which pays utmost attention on developing health of the community members. It will be vital to mention that a smoking policy is regarded as a social policy, as it is mainly concerned with the individuals residing within a particular society and improving their health along with well-being (Crown, 2013). With this concern, the essay intends to analyse and discuss about a local trust smoking policy by using the structure of Watt and Gibson analysis triangle of content, context and process. Moreover, these contents of the structure would be further examined by using Colebatch framework of governmental decisions, actions along with activities, specific commitment, routine practice as well as procedures and broad orientation of values. A Brief Overview of the Local Trust Smoking Policy In this particular essay, the smoking policy of a local trust namely Southern Health NHS Foundation will be mainly taken into concern for discussion. Prior to explaining the smoking policy of this local trust, it will be essential to mention that smoking is commonly viewed to be one of the prime reasons of ill-health and premature death in different regions throughout the globe. This can be justified with reference to the fact that a greater exposure towards second-hand smoke generally raises various life-threatening diseases namely lung cancer, heart disease and other severe illnesses. Thus, taking into concern the ill-effects of smoking and prohibiting its increased level of usage, the local trust designed an effective smoking policy, which focused on attaining certain predetermined objectives. These objectives included providing healthy environment to the people, promoting programs related to smoking cessation and fostering good health amid the individuals. It is worth mentioning that prime intentions of smoking policy designed by local trust include safeguarding as well as enhancing the health of public, protecting the smokers along with the non-smokers from the increased level of risks with regards to exposure of passive smoke and setting an instance to other workforce specifically in health-associated locations. Apart from these, smoking policy designed by the local trust focused on encouraging service users and staff towards accessing quality support services in quitting smoking and making the individual community members to consider and participate in the programs related to smoking cessation (NHS, 2013). Analysis of the Local Trust Smoking Policy by Using the Structure of Watt and Gibson There exist certain health policies that are generally formed by determining the composite inter-relationship of process, context, actors and content. In this similar context, the two politicians namely Watt and Gibson have introduced a triangle of health policy, which depicts certain factors that affect such policy (Steinbach, 2009). This can be better understood from the following depicted diagrammatical representation: Figure 1: The Health Policy Triangle Source: (Steinbach, 2009) Based on the above depicted pictorial illustration, it is to be affirmed that context refers to certain systematic factors including social along with cultural and economic aspects that impose significant impact on a specific health policy (Partnership Forum, n.d.). On the other hand, content is regarded as the material of a particular policy, which portrays the topics as well as the subjects being covered for deriving valid and positive outcomes (Mcllveen & et. al., 2011). Finally, process is deemed to be the way based on which any sort of health policy is being commenced, developed, communicated as well as negotiated, executed and assessed (Vu & Proctor, 2011). More importantly, in relation to the above context, actors denote the organizations or states, individuals and their respective actions that have profound effect on a health policy (Steinbach, 2009). It will be vital to mention that the structure of Watt and Gibson triangle can be taken into concern in analyzing the smoking policy designed by the local trust i.e. Southern Health NHS Foundation with respect to the elements concerning context, process, content and actors. In relation to the element concerning process based on the structure of the aforesaid, it can be affirmed that the local trust efficiently introduced, expanded and communicated as well as executed health policy i.e. Smokefree Trust Policy by depicting roles along with responsibilities of the local trust itself, line managers, staff, trade unions and human resources as well. By considering the element of content in relation to the triangle developed by Watt and Gibson, it can be apparently viewed that the Smokefree Trust Policy has laid down certain legislations, based on which different subjects or topics associated with the policy are covered. In this regard, such legislations encompass The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: Working Environment and The Health Act 2006. The context element of the triangle linked with Smokefree Trust Policy represents certain factors that impose considerable impact on this particular health policy. One of such factors is reckoned to be the legal one, which introduces certain lawful regulations based on the prohibition of smoking in all public places as well as workplaces. Apart from this, the other factor is reckoned to be the economic factor, which denotes imposing financial penalties of £200, if individuals get engaged into smoking in smoke free premises (NHS, 2013). These factors eventually affect the health policy i.e. the Smokefree Trust Policy by a considerable degree in the form of deriving appropriate implications of the same in future context. Analysis of the Content Using Colebatch Framework Colebatch framework generally highlights various meanings of a specific health policy. In order to determine and analyse the meanings of a policy, the framework mainly focused into explaining five probable dimensions (Green & et. al., 2015). One of such dimensions include governmental decisions in accessing to different policies or services including developing plans for enhancing nutrition in schools, introducing training cycle for children and establishing networks of health champions among others. The other dimension mainly included the facet of specific commitment, which tends to identify different mechanisms and raise accountability towards fulfilling the desired objectives of a particular health policy. The third dimension of Colebatch framework reflects treating a specific policy as a routine practice as well as procedure, based on which the execution of such policy is standardised in the form of providing quality training to respective individuals. Specially mentioning, the actions and activities dimension of the framework, as a fourth one, reveals a greater understanding about the initiatives taken by the authoritative bodies to implement a policy in an efficient manner and alignment with the predetermined goals. Finally, the fifth dimension of Colebatch framework is ascertained to be wider value orientation, which tends to identify several chief principles based on which overall direction and value base of a policy can be enlarged by a considerable degree and as per the desired level (Coles & Porter, 2009, Colebatch, 2009). In accordance with the dimension of governmental decisions related to Colebatch framework, Smokefree Trust Policy developed by Southern Health NHS Foundation can be analysed in the form of depicting the role played by the respective government in promoting programs of smoking cessation and likewise developing health status of individuals. It must be mentioned that the governmental decisions associated with Smokefree Trust Policy are ought to focus upon generating greater value to the sufferers and most vitally seeking involvement of maximum figure of potential investors towards public funding of supporting the stated smoking policy. With regards to the dimension of specific commitment based on Colebatch framework, the local trust i.e. Southern Health NHS Foundation must strive to provide active support to every staff member in fulfilling its commitment of offering a healthy environment to the people residing within the premise and the surrounding areas. In relation to the third dimension of the framework, which is mainly about considering a particular policy as a routine practice as well as procedure, the local trust must ensure that Smokefree Trust Policy does not get overlapped with the changing situations or prevalence of varied critical factors. These factors can be ascertained in the form of increased level of smoking amid the individuals, shortage in promoting programs related to smoking cessation and incapability of utilising the available resources towards making requited standardisations in the stated policy (NHS, 2013). According to the fourth dimension of the framework, i.e. conduct of actions as well as activities, the local trust needs to ensure that effective procedures are being followed in terms of actions towards making better utilisation of the aforesaid policy to the fullest possible extent. In this regard, it can be apparently observed that the local trust perform certain significant actions in order to develop the policy towards the attainment of the desired targets of the same. Thus, actions including defining along with allocating different roles to the individual authoritative bodies such as the line managers and users, monitoring the procedures towards ensuring smoke free environment and taking effective decisions are identified to be performed by the local trust in relation to the above stated context. Finally, as per the fifth or final dimension of the framework, which signifies wider value orientation, the local trust i.e. Southern Health NHS Foundation is noted to mould the prevailing trade unions in ensuring that Smokefree Trust Policy is being executed efficiently by working in partnership with the line managers and providing them with valuable advice. Apart from this, the local trust is also identified to ensure and maximise wider value creation in the form of bringing regulations that is required to be followed while making non-compliance to the stated policy and elaborating the requirements for different service users (NHS, 2013). Exploration of the Context Using PEST The notion concerning PEST generally refers to determine the prevailing political, economical along with social and technological aspects that have broader influence on the overall performance of an organisation, unit or entity (Fullen & Podmoroff, 2006). In this globalisation and technology-driven era, the modern companies operating in dissimilar industries desire to follow and make better execution of PEST framework with prime intent of gaining optimum business or operational performance (The Stationary Office, 2010). Apart from this, such companies operating in this modern day context also endeavour to analyse PEST framework for reaping several significant benefits. These benefits mainly comprise augmenting profitability in terms of market share, attaining superior competitive position as compared to chief business market competitors and ensuring long-term sustainability among others (Koumparoulis, 2013). Similar to different business organisations, units or firms, various policies also get impacted by the PEST framework at large, which eventually lays the foundation for such policies to be standardised as per the requirement and standard levels (Oxford University Press, 2007). Thus, with this concern, an attempt has been made about analysing the context dimension of Watt and Gibson structure with respect to Smokefree Trust Policy designed by Southern Health NHS Foundation. As previously mentioned, the context element of Watt and Gibson analysis structure indicates the impact of certain systematic factors on a particular policy. These systematic factors can be determined in the form of political, social along with economical and technological dimension (Steinbach, 2009). In this similar context, with respect to the Smokefree Trust Policy, which is designed as well as initiated by the local trust namely Southern Health NHS Foundation, the above discussed factors have been taken into concern for discussion. In terms of political factor, the above stated policy can be analysed in the form of supporting the same by respective government through increased level of gaining a brief idea about the expectations of quality health services by patients or end users. It is to be affirmed in this regard that there exist certain reasons for which the respective government supported the above discussed policy. Thus, one of such reasons includes developing the societal norms by enhancing health as well as well-being of the people and also promoting varied beneficial programs including smoking cessation (NHS, 2012). From the economic perspective, the Smokefree Trust Policy can be analysed in terms of gaining financial support from potential investors and grants attained from respective government in the context of developing the above discussed policy. At the same time, it has been ascertained that the local trust i.e. Southern Health NHS Foundation is able to detect any sort of prevailing risk that might be service or financial risk, which eventually strengthened its economic position in standardising the policy at large in the global domain (NHS, 2014). With regards to social standpoint, the above discussed policy sets an example towards acquiring societal support to fulfil the objective of developing health of the community members. In this regard, the local trust is being identified to design the policy in such a way so that the adverse societal conditions that are caused by continuous smoking are addressed and mitigated as per the desired level. Finally, with regards to technological domain, the stated policy is witnessed to use innovative technologies for standardising the same and deriving potential positive consequences. Therefore, with this concern, such technologies that are duly considered by the local trust included certain technological enablers based on new care models. These technological enablers are reckoned to be Telecare, Telehealth and associated assistive technologies (NHS, 2012). Analysis of the Process Using Buse, Mays and Waltt 2012 Framework It has been earlier mentioned that the process element of Watt and Gibson analysis structure typically reveals the ways through which any sort of policy, whether social or health, is introduced, developed, preserved as well as communicated, negotiated, used and examined. In precise, it can be affirmed that this particular element has the potentiality to determine status of a specific policy and find out certain effective ways towards ensuring about how the same gets executed efficiently in future for deriving positive or favourable results (Steinbach, 2009). The framework of Buse, Mays and Waltt can be better comprehended through a review of four distinct stages (Meng, 2013). In this regard, the stage of problem identification along with issue recognition denotes investigating broader context and determining about how any sort of issue attract the attention of policy makers. The policy formulation stage mainly emphasises recognising the involved actors in developing any policy and also ascertaining the same to be communicated to the end users. The stage of policy implementation signifies examining whether the policies are being transformed on execution basis and identifying the effect of the same, if any, on the policy outcomes. Finally, the policy evaluation stage represents monitoring the fact that whether a specific policy is able to attain its expected objectives with the identification of any unintended consequence (Walt & et. al., 2008; Buse & et. al., 2005). Based on the above discussion, the Smokefree Trust Policy designed by the local trust named Southern Health NHS Foundation can be analysed with the above discussed stages, as mentioned by Buse, Mays and Waltt. Thus, in this regard, the above stated policy in relation to the phase of problem identification as well as issue recognition can be mainly analysed by assessing the increased level of smoking amid the individuals and its impacts on their health along with well-being. The other phase i.e. policy formulation can also be related with Smokefree Trust Policy in terms of finding out the actors involved in the process who aid in making policy to be clearly communicated to the end users. In this circumstance, such actors can be reckoned as the trust itself, personnel attached with the trust, respective government and potential investors. The stated policy may also be analysed with the third phase of the framework i.e. policy implementation by clearly highlighting the roles along with responsibilities allocated to the aforementioned involved actors. Finally, in relation to the stage of policy evaluation, the policy will also be analysed through the conduct of constant monitoring on the policy objectives as well as outcomes (NHS, 2013). Conclusion From the above analysis and discussion, it is evident that initiation, execution and development of varied social policies provide active support in promoting different societal attributes and likewise contribute in progressing overall individual’s performance. With this concern, it can be apparently observed that a local trust named Southern Health NHS Foundation has introduced the Smokefree Trust Policy for delivering significant benefits to the community members and likewise develop distinct societal attributes at large. The policy mainly aimed at safeguarding the health as well as well-being of the people who are involved in regular smoking and promoting the program of smoking cessation. It has been ascertained that various frameworks such as Watt and Gibson structure analysis, Colebatch framework and Buse, Mays and Waltt 2012 outline can be related to the stated policy for analysis. The outcomes of utilising these frameworks in relation to Smokefree Trust Policy mainly revealed contribution made by the involved partners such as respective government and potential investors in standardising the same as well as making the policy to attain predetermined objectives in future. Thus, in conclusion, it can be stated that the inclusion of such frameworks in the stated policy eventually ensure rapid advancements in the same with increasing the scope of greater community development in future. References Beland, D., 2010. What is Social Policy. Polity. Buse, K. & et. al., 2005. Making Health Policy. Open University Press, pp. 1-199. Crown, 2013. Reducing Smoking. Policy. [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducing-smoking [Accessed March 15, 2015]. 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