A Tool to Reflect on Organizational Capacities for Healthy Public Policies

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1. Analytical summary

Context, audiences and issues

The document is aimed at practitioners, as well as public health managers who wish to strengthen organisational capacities to develop and support health-promoting public policies (PPFS). It starts from the observation that public health organisations have some leeway but often lack a structured framework to analyse their practices, identify levers, and engage in dialogue with decision-makers. The tool is grounded in five key dimensions: partnerships, organisational structures and resources, workforce, knowledge development, leadership and governance, stemming from prior knowledge synthesis work. It explicitly aims at internal reflection, rather than external evaluation, acknowledging the subjectivity of the responses produced by the teams. The Canadian and Quebec context is central, but the principles are transferable to other health and prevention systems.

Operational contributions for the field

The document presents the logic of a tool composed of six documents: a "Portrait of your situation" which allows positioning on the five dimensions, then five sheets "Analysis by dimension" offering open questions and resources to deepen the selected priorities. It provides clear instructions on the modalities of use (individual, collective or hybrid), the organisational implications and the limits of the exercise. It offers practical advice for preparing the approach (clarifying objectives, accepting information grey areas, adapting concepts to the local context, anticipating work time and sensitive discussions). Each analysis by dimension directs towards the main report "What can organisations do to improve their capacity to promote public policies favourable to health?" and towards relevant grey literature resources to support decision-making. The whole allows teams to identify strategies, link them to evidence bases and directly feed into strategic or programmatic planning.

2. Key points of the document

1. The tool explicitly targets five interdependent dimensions (partnerships, structures and resources, workforce, knowledge development, leadership and governance) as pillars of organisational capacities in PPFS, in continuity with the reference report of the CCNPPS. (p.1‑3)

2. The "Portrait of your situation" offers a self-assessment on a scale of 1 to 5 for a series of statements, allowing for a quick overall diagnosis and prioritising the dimensions to be deepened. (p.3)

3. The five documents "Dimension Analysis" rely on open questions that ask to describe current actions, analyse their limits, and explore new possibilities, while referring to resources and the central scientific report. (p.3)

4. The system is designed to be used in individual, collective, or hybrid mode, with a clear argument on the advantages, constraints of human resources, and planning requirements specific to each modality. (p.4)

5. The limits of the tool are clarified: it is neither a formal evaluation instrument nor a comprehensive inventory of resources, but a structuring support for internal strategic reflection around the PPFS. (p.4)

3. Action tracks for local actors

1. Organise a workshop of 2 to 3 hours with a core of key actors (management, middle managers, health promotion referents, strategic partners) to jointly complete the "Portrait of your situation", by preparing in advance a short presentation of the five dimensions. (p.3‑4)

2. Based on the results of the portrait, select one or two priority dimensions (for example partnerships and leadership) and plan specific "Dimension Analysis" sessions to document current practices, barriers, and development tracks. (p.3‑5)

3. Use the references to the report "What can organisations do to improve their capacity to promote health-friendly public policies?" to identify strategies already described in the literature and translate them into actions adapted to the local context (e.g. formalisation of intersectoral governance mechanisms). (p.3)

4. Integrate the results of the reflection into existing institutional processes: strategic plan, annual action plan, workforce training plan, advocacy with elected or administrative decision-makers. (p.2‑3)

5. Anticipate relational issues by establishing discussion rules and a safety framework (respect, no-blame, confidentiality) during collective exchanges, in order to allow for the expression of clear diagnostics on organisational capacities without generating unnecessary tensions. (p.4‑5)

4. Additional References 

1. International Francophone Network for Health Promotion – Americas Section (RÉFIPS‑SA). The Health in All Policies approach at the local level: guide (updated after 2023, accessible web version). This guide provides methodological benchmarks to operationalise the PPFS in local communities, complementing the dimensions of the CCNPPS tool. https://refips.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/GuideSdTP_web.pdf

2. NIPN Platform – 1.3 Develop a capacity strengthening plan (orientation note, 2024). Document focused on capacity development within multisectoral platforms, useful for equipping the dimension of "organisational structures and resources" as well as planning for capacity strengthening.https://www.nipn-nutrition-platforms.org/fr/guide-pour-la-mise-en-oeuvre-dune-pnin/1-3-developper-un-plan-de-renforcement-des-capacites/

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who is this tool specifically aimed at?It targets anyone playing a professional or management role in public health (managers, advisors, project leaders) wishing to reflect on their organisation's capacity to act on the PPFS, whether it is a public health department, a regional agency, an institute, or a partner organisation. (p.1‑2)

2. How much time should be allowed to use the tool?Reading the user manual takes less than 30 minutes, but a thorough use of the whole (portrait and dimension analyses) may require several hours, especially if collective discussion and co-construction approaches are prioritised. (p.3-5)

3. What is the difference between the "Portrait of your situation" and the "Analyses by dimension"?The portrait serves to obtain an overall view and to prioritise the dimensions using a scale of 1 to 5 on standardised statements, while each dimension analysis offers more detailed open questions to describe practices, identify limitations, and explore concrete strategies. (p.3)

4. Does the tool allow for comparing the performance of different organisations?No, it is not a formal evaluation tool or benchmarking, but rather an internal reflection support where the results reflect the analyses and perceptions specific to the participants of each organisation. (p.4)

5. How to integrate the external resources mentioned in the tool?The analysis documents refer to sections of the reference report and to grey literature resources; it is recommended to consult these materials to identify examples, arguments, and transferable tools, and then to translate them into internal action plans (training, governance, partnerships). (p.3)

6. What to do if the participants do not agree on the diagnosis?The user manual invites consideration of these divergences as opportunities for discussion, while ensuring a climate of respect and openness, and accepting the subjective nature of the exercise; the aim is less to achieve an "exact" score than to bring shared issues to light. (p.4‑5)

7. Is the tool adaptable to contexts outside Canada/Quebec?Yes, the authors emphasise the flexibility and adaptability of the tool: the concepts can be interpreted according to the specific context, and organisations are encouraged to use it creatively to support their specific goals and mandates. (p.5)

6. Easy-to-Read Version 

Title of the document

• The document is called:

  "A tool for reflecting on organisational capacities regarding public policies that promote health. Presentation and user manual."

• It explains how to use a tool to better influence the rules and decisions that affect health.

Context and objectives

• The document speaks to people who work in public health.

• These individuals may be managers, leaders, or project officers.

• The tool helps to reflect on how the organisation works on public policies that promote health.

• There are five main themes: partnerships, organisation and resources, personnel, knowledge, leadership, and governance.

• The aim is to see what is already being done and what can be improved.

How the tool is made

• The tool consists of six documents that go together.

• The first document is called "Your Situation Portrait."

• In this document, we tick numbers from 1 to 5 to indicate whether we agree with the statements.

• This provides a simple picture of the situation in the organisation.

• Next, we choose one or more themes to work on as a priority.

Thematic analyses

• There are five documents "Analysis by dimension".

• Each document discusses a single important theme.

• It contains open questions to describe what we are already doing.

• We also reflect on the limitations and new action ideas.

• Links to a report and other resources provide concrete examples.

Ways to use the tool

• An individual can use the tool alone to reflect on their organisation.

• A group can also respond together and discuss.

• Finally, one can start alone and then discuss in a group.

• It is important to respect others during discussions.

• The tool can be adapted to local needs.

Key points in Easy-to-Read Language

• The tool helps to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation to act on public policies.

• It does not provide an official score and does not compare organisations with each other.

• The responses are based on the opinions of the individuals filling out the tool.

• The tool can help prepare an action plan or a project.

• It is flexible and can be used in different contexts.

7. Cross-sectional analysis – Values of health practices

• Literacy : The document is short, structured, without excessive jargon, but it refers to other more technical resources; it is suitable for professionals who already have a good understanding of the PPFS.

• Empowerment : The end beneficiaries are not directly involved; empowerment mainly takes place at the level of public health organisations and their teams.

• Participation : The collective and hybrid approach is highlighted, encouraging the co-construction of the diagnosis and priorities within the teams.

• Community health : The collective dimension appears through partnerships and governance, but community health is not detailed as a specific field of intervention.

• Ethics : The text emphasises the transparency of the tool's limitations and the need for a climate of respect in discussions, but addresses cultural biases only superficially.

• Human rights : The principles of equity and inclusion are implicit in the orientation towards PPFS, without an explicit chapter on human rights.

• Intersectorality : Partnerships and leadership are presented as structuring dimensions, which implies intersectoral collaborations, even if the sectors are not listed.

• Partnership : An entire dimension is dedicated to partnerships, referring to the main report for specific collaboration strategies.

• Combating discrimination : The document does not directly address specific discriminations, but recommends a climate of non-judgment in internal exchanges.

8. Evaluation of the reliability of the resource

• Scientific relevance : The document is produced by a recognised national collaborating centre, funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, and is based on a recent synthesis report on organisational capacities in PPFS, which ensures a solid and up-to-date methodological foundation. The limitations of the tool and the non-exhaustiveness of the resources are clearly stated, which enhances scientific transparency.

• Operational relevance : The resource is short, very structured, focused on concrete uses (organisational diagnosis, strategic planning, internal mobilisation) and offers various facilitation methods, making it immediately deployable in public health, prevention, and territorial governance contexts.

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