Application of policy instrumentation in the healthcare sector: A general discussion

Policy instruments are defined as a set of strategies or methods used by the government to address an issue or to achieve the desired state (Cameron, n.d.). My area of interest is related to the mental healthcare sector, and this field utilises multiple policy instruments based on the needs of the situation. One example related to my area of interest is the use of legal instruments such as implementing policies according to the situation like in COVID-19 where the government announced the policy of social distancing and lockdown to prevent the spread of the disease. Similarly, the Chinese government also used the mixed policy instrument approach to deal with the COVID issue in healthcare settings, by implementing mandatory administration, health promotion, voluntary plans and incentives instruments altogether for effective outcomes (Du & Lu, 2023). I have also seen the use of educational and promotional strategies as policy instruments, such as conducting health education programs or promotional events to address a specific mental health issue like substance use.