Harm Minimisation Drug Policy Implementation with Australian Injecting Drug Users

Abstract

National health care policies are important for defining the vision, priorities, budgetary decisions and actions for improving and maintaining the health of a countries people. Yet in order for a countries health care policy to be implemented, planning needs to occur at all levels of the health care system. Effective policy implementation allows for broad national health strategies to be translated at a local level into appropriate and feasible approaches, based on local circumstances. This is particularly important with respect to emerging sectors of care, such as harm minimisation programs for people who inject drugs. The characteristics that influence the implementation process and fidelity are: 1) relative advantage; 2) compatibility, 3) complexity, 4) trialability, 5) observability, 6) obligation and 7) resourcing.