Policy priority setting is about the decision-making process of allocating limited resources to different policy areas. It involves the contextual side of policy-making and having an understanding of the local needs and priorities. This training package covers content on understanding context through use of data, policy analysis and community engagement, problem definition and preparing policy options. The supplementary materials at the end are for optional further reading.    

Key learning objectives include: 

explaining the purpose of a community assessment, how to undertake one and applying the findings;

describing different data sources and perspectives that can be used to undertake policy analysis and how these can be applied to priority-setting;

developing a concise problem statement of the health problem/issue/policy under consideration;

balancing the pros and cons of different policy options.

Policy analysis and preparing policy options

The online courses below provide a comprehensive outline of the strategies and tools you may need to facilitate policy prioritization. They include modules on different forms of public health data, methods of stakeholder engagement and policy analysis, guidance on defining the problem that is the subject of consideration and different conceptual strategies to approach policy analysis and design.

Topic	Source	Title	Format	Duration	Cost and access
Develop problem statement; developing policy options	Northwest Center for Public Health Practice at The University of Washington (PH Learn Link)	Evidence-based public health training series Please review all content in Modules 3,4 + 6: 3. Quantifying the issue 4. Developing a concise statement of the issue 6. Developing and prioritizing programme and policy options	Online course	2–3 hours	Free with registration and login
Policy analysis; developing policy options	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)	Introduction to policy analysis in public health	Online course	1–2 hours	Free with registration and login
Policy analysis	Harvard University	Systematic Approaches to Policy Design	Online course	1 hour	Free, no login required. Follow the link "Take Course". The material can be accessed by clicking the hyperlinks "Modules" or "1.1 Faculty Welcome".

Supplementary materials

All supplementary materials are optional. The first and second text materials provide further guidance on the different factors involved in developing policies and agenda setting. The last text material provides scenarios to support application of what you have learnt.

Topic	Source	Title	Format	Duration	Cost and access
Agenda setting; policy development	WHO	Strategizing national health in the 21st century: a handbook Please review all content in Chapter 4: Priority-setting for national health policies, strategies and plans	Text	2 hours	Free, no login required
	McMaster University	Setting agendas and developing and implementing policies: summary sheet	Text	15 minutes	Free, no login required
Develop problem statement; developing policy options	SUPPORT project	SUPPORT tools for evidence-informed health policy-making Please read: Papers STP 3-6 + 16	Text	4–5 hours	Free, no login required
Problem identification	CDC Train	Problem identification in the policy process and how systems thinking fits in	Web-based training	1 hour	Requires log in
Problem solving; policy engagement; systems thinking; change management	CDC Train	An overview of the policy process in public health and the need for systems thinking	Web-based training	1 hour	Requires log in