Due to my involvement in Healthcare, I have seen how public policy has played a critical role in advancing or steering healthcare access. There are many societal healthcare decisions led by governments that are difficult to comprehend for the casual observer. Although, if we take the time to fully digest the background, the order of events, the stakeholder engagement and the critical implications of the policy decisions over time, it becomes evident that policy makers will take a direction and make changes that are not so unexpected. In other words, it is possible to foresee, if we understand the context well.

I have also observed that public policy is not so ‘black and white’ but is a complex balance of managing commercial constraints (Economics), ‘popular’ community needs/interests (Emotional) and doing what is best for the majority with limited effort and resources (Therapeutic).

I have observed many interesting shifts in the balance of Economical, Emotional and Therapeutic interests. Such as when the development of social media allows minority groups within the population to have more voice (beyond traditional media), policy makers may have a tendency to respond to these ‘in vogue’ interests in a way that is not necessarily beneficial economically or therapeutically, but may specifically address the emotions of the public.

A recent example of when a very obscure but debilitating illness that predominantly affects a very small number of children became a media focus, the policy makers revised their decision in favour to provide a universal community immunisation program. Although the prophylactic immunisation benefit was evident in reducing risk, the financial burden did not stack up against other budgeted health allocations that would provide greater community cost/benefit.

Policy makers may achieve better overall performance with subtle responses to the public interest. Extreme modifications in the way policy makers respond to popular interest will potentially unbalance the effective management of economical, emotional and therapeutic expectations.  This lesson from policy makers can be applied to us all in learning to make subtle changes in strategy direction regardless of the ‘in vogue’ demands.