Rationale
This assessment is designed to enable students to evaluate the processes involved in an intervention strategy. It will require students to reflect on multidisciplinary collaboration and analyse the processes and problem-solving techniques involved in team building.

Students will be divided into multidisciplinary groups and will develop a public health topic providing a clear rationale for choice based on epidemiological evidence and a theoretical model to underpin the chosen methods of implementation. A tutor will act as a resource for each group. Implementation will take place in March.

SUMMARY OF THE ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
Part A Assignment:
The body of the assignment (3000 words) comprising of:
o Section 1 A critical evaluation of the student’s own role in the process (1500 words)

HH5584 Essay draft and comments from Lecturer attached
o Section 2 A critical evaluation of the effectiveness of the planning process (1500 words) Needs to be done
A Public Health Final Pack, which is included as an Appendix and therefore not included within the word limit (1000 words approximately) Attached

Part B Implementation of the Public Health Intervention Strategy:
Implementation of a peer and tutor assessed public health intervention. The criteria for assessing the intervention are located in the Programme Handbook.
A Public Health Pack

A public health pack is prepared as a collaborative endeavour by all members of the public health intervention group. Although the pack is not directly included in the weighting of marks, it is expected that the pack will be used by each student to inform their analysis within the body of the assignment.

The pack is essential in conveying factual/descriptive information about the process of undertaking the public health intervention strategy. However, its inclusion in the body of the assignment is not desirable due to its descriptive nature. The pack should include:

a. Identification of a target group

b. A brief rationale for choice of topic
c. Identification of the choice of health promotion model
d. A brief identification of need through reference to epidemiological, ethnographic and research data
e. Aims and objectives
f. A timescale plan

g. Allocation of tasks and roles
h. Resource issues
i. Methods selected for implementation
j. Marketing and advertising issues
k. Methods of evaluation and evaluative data collected. It is the responsibility of the postgraduate students to ensure an evaluation of the project takes place and analyse the data collected.

The body of the assignment

Should be an in-depth, analytical and reflective analysis of the process involved. This should cover two areas equally:

1. A critical evaluation of the student’s own role in the process.
It is recommended that each member keep a reflective diary or notebook of their role in the strategy.

This diary, although not included, will be a useful foundation from which to explore issues of:
a) The group’s influence on the student.
b) The student’s influence on the group

The issues explored may include some of the following:
Problem solving skills
Decision making strategies
Managing conflict
Leadership issues
Motivation and delegation
Personal strengths, weaknesses and development

Section 1 (1500 words) should be reflective and you must bring yourself into the group process. We do not want a description of what happened in the group or a discussion of what other people did.

If you do say what happened or what someone else did than you should use that to explore the impact upon yourself; the focus is on you not on ‘others’. The following prompts may be useful in helping you reflect on the situation from your own perspective:
How did I feel about what happened?
How did I respond?
In retrospect was this a constructive approach?
What have I learnt about myself through this?

What strengths have I identified for myself?
What limitations have I identified for myself?
What do I need to do to develop?
How will my future practice be changed/informed?

A key part of the assignment is the theory underpinning any of the above discussion; you need to integrate theory with practice.

So if you are talking about someone else’s autocratic leadership style upsetting you then you need to discuss what the literature is saying and what you can learn from this for your own practice.

2. A critical evaluation of the effectiveness of the planning process making reference to the health promotion pack as the basis of the evaluation.
Issues explored may include some of the following:

The use and value of the model selected
A comparison between the process undertaken and theoretical perspectives within health public health literature e.g. needs assessment, implementation strategies, evaluation.
An exploration of the value of the current public health agenda in the planning process

Section 2 (1500 words) should be analytical; again the theory underpinning your discussion is important. What did the group do? What do theorists advocate? What were the advantages and disadvantages? What have you learnt? Would you do it differently next time?

(Total Section 1 and Section 2 = 3000 words)