Public Policy Development

Public—or governmental—policy influences a vast array of factors in the social and physical environments in which citizens live their lives and pursue their dreams. For this reason, public policy has long been recognized as an important point of intervention in the complex web of factors that contributes to public health status.

Throughout the 20^th Century, governments considered health policy to be defined as the organization and financing of medical care and—albeit to a more limited extent—of public health. In recent years, however, it has become clear that health is strongly influenced by virtually all sectors of governmental policy. This realization has led many public health professionals to advocate a concern for health in all sectors of public policymaking. Generally, this involves the question, “What will this economic/transportation/city planning etc. policy mean for the health of citizens?” At the same time, it has become clear that public policy most often functions far more optimally if and when commercial and civil society organizations who have a stake in the policy are involved in the processes of policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.

Commers Health Consulting assists governmental- and semi-governmental units, as well as policy-related institutes and think-tanks, with efforts to establish health as a priority for public policy. Within the vast domain of health promotion in public policy, Commers Health Consulting has focused on providing the following concrete products:

·        Development of municipal health memoranda

·        Translation of Dutch health-related policy solutions to foreign public policy contexts

·        Promotion of informed debate by means of public health education for policy actors, including politicians

Commers Health Consulting has provided public policy development assistance to such clients as the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of the Japanese Government.