Development of the 2000-2005 Victorian Women's Health Plan: A Case Study

The paper describes and assesses the development of the 2000 to 2005 Victorian Women's Health Plan; a policy overtaken by a range of political processes. It provides a working example of health promotion policy development including mapping the history and context behind the development of the policy. The paper is written from the author's view that good health policy behind funding arrangements is critical for good health practice. It is also important for health service providers to have an understanding of the politics and processes surrounding health policy development and implementation surrounding their practice and to work with this understanding to improve health outcomes. This is particularly the case with health promotion policy because outcomes are generally only identifiable in the longer term. Within Victoria, during the period 1995-1998, a number of things occurred to provide an environment for renewal of interest and potential for progress in women's health policy development. This included an increasing understanding of the relationship between gender and health outcomes. The complex economic, political and environmental elements, understanding of opportunities available, actions developed and taken, and the results are all expanded upon in the paper. The activity resulted in the launch, in August 1999, of the five-year Victorian Women's Health Plan. It was hailed by the then Victorian Premier on the launch occasion as the 'first comprehensive women's health plan to be developed by any Australian state, which leads the way for other States to follow'. The launch coincided with the calling of a State government election. Four weeks later there was a change of government and the process to develop policy has began again.