Health Policy Strategy and Advocacy Training Course
1Summary
Every health outcome a population experiences – how accessible care is, how it is financed, who gets prioritised – traces back to a policy decision made somewhere upstream. Understanding that chain, and knowing how to influence it, is what separates a health professional who reacts to policy from one who helps shape it. This training course from Arab British Fellowship Training Academy builds exactly that capability, giving participants the analytical frameworks and advocacy skills needed to engage meaningfully with health policy at local, national and international levels.
Drawing on real global health challenges, the course covers how policy actually gets made – the actors involved, the governance structures behind it, the economics and social forces that shape it – and pairs that understanding with practical tools for communication, stakeholder engagement and advocacy. Participants finish with the confidence to contribute to evidence-based reforms that improve health outcomes and advance equity.
2Objectives and target group
- Health policy is not made in a vacuum – it is shaped by actors, evidence, economics and public pressure. This course builds the capacity to understand that process and influence it effectively.
- Understand How Policy Actually Gets Made: Grasp the principles and processes of health policy development, and the social, political and economic factors that drive decisions.
- Analyze and Evaluate Policy: Build the capacity to design and evaluate health policy frameworks using evidence-based tools and impact measurement approaches.
- Advocate With Purpose: Develop effective advocacy strategies – from message framing to coalition-building – that genuinely influence policy outcomes.
- Communicate Across Stakeholders: Strengthen the ability to communicate complex policy issues clearly to government bodies, media and the public.
Target Audience
- Public health professionals and policy analysts.
- Officials from ministries of health and governmental health agencies.
- Representatives of non-governmental and international health organisations.
- Academics, researchers and consultants working in health policy or advocacy.
3Course Content
Module 1: Why Policy Decisions Are Health Decisions
- The definition, scope and importance of health policy in public health practice
- How health systems and policy structures relate to one another
- Core principles guiding effective, equitable policy development
Module 2: Stakeholders and Governance Structures Shaping Health Policy
- The roles of government institutions, NGOs, professional associations and civil society
- Coordination among multi-sectoral partners in policy formulation
- Regulatory and institutional governance structures, and accountability in policy administration
Module 3: From Agenda to Evaluation – the Policy Decision-Making Cycle
- The stages of policy development: agenda setting, formulation, implementation and evaluation
- Factors influencing policy decisions and prioritisation, and maintaining policy coherence
- Tools and techniques for analysing policy effectiveness and measuring impact using data and evidence
Module 4: The Economics and Social Roots of Health Policy
- Economic evaluation and health financing mechanisms
- Addressing social inequalities through targeted policy measures
- How global health priorities shape national policy agendas
Module 5: Communicating Policy – Media, Messaging and Public Opinion
- Techniques for effective policy communication and public messaging
- Managing media relations and shaping public opinion around health issues
- Building narratives that support health reforms and advocacy goals
Module 6: Advocacy in Action – Tools, Mobilisation and Strategic Planning
- Core advocacy strategies within health systems, and policy brief preparation
- Mobilising support from communities and political leaders through message framing
- Linking advocacy and policy goals to strategic planning and national or global health agendas
Module 7: Ethics, Equity and Accountability in Policy and Advocacy
- Principles of fairness, inclusivity and ethical decision-making in health policy
- Addressing disparities and the needs of vulnerable populations in policy design
- Promoting accountability and transparency throughout advocacy initiatives