Kerri KellettKerri KellettPrimary Health Care Research Primary Health Care Research

Evaluation and Development (PHCRED)Evaluation and Development (PHCRED)Liaison OfficerLiaison Officer

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OverviewThe role of the Commonwealth public serviceSome of the key differences between researchers

and public servantsThe policy development environment in which

public servants work and why this is important for researchers to understand

Key issues public servants need to address when providing advice to government

How to write a summary of your research so that it is accessible to public servants

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The role of the public servicePublic servants serve the government of the day,

recognising its policy parameters and philosophical leanings, and then develop policy within that context

Commonwealth public servants work under a range of values and ethics and must adhere to a Code of Conduct at all times

Public servants must be apolitical, professional, objective, efficient and always maintain appropriate levels of confidentiality in relation to what they are working on

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World Health Organisation Model

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The policy development environmentIn developing policy public servants face a

number of constraints: political, fiscal and those imposed by tight deadlines

In some cases policy development occurs over a long time period and involves widespread stakeholder consultation and consideration of all the available evidence

What is common however, is that policy options are needed quickly often within a few days or even a few hours

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Key issues public servants need to address in advice to government?Ministers and their advisers are very busy

people with lots of competing priorities at any given time

Advice from public servants therefore needs to be succinct and relevant and include only the most critical information the government needs to make a decision

Key issues public servants need to address include: the problem, the background, the possible solutions, the risks, the cost and the preferred way forward

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Challenge – try to write a research summary for the public serviceYou might like to try writing a two page summary while at this workshop which reflects the issues public servants need to address in their advice

In doing so, make sure you provide a succinct overview of:

The problem

The background

Possible solutions and implementation details

Risks and sensitivities

Costs including offsets

Preferred option and brief explanation of why

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