A critical overview of current public policy trends and their implications for nursing

There have been a number of significant changes in the public policy landscape within Australia in recent years. Many of these are having direct effects on the provision of health services. The move towards privitisation, deregularion and exposure of publicly owned utilities to market forces represents some of these changes. A greater emphasis on accountability and efficiency seems to be the driving force behind them. This paper addresses a number of these changes and asks about their likely outcomes and the possible threats and opportunities which they might present to nursing.