The Directorate of Health has received extensive input from stakeholders among user and interest organisations, the municipal health and care services, the specialist health service and the partnership. Insight has also been obtained through a dialogue with relevant individuals from professional and user environments both inside and outside Norway. The survey report from Oslo Economics and relevant documents are other sources which have been included in this work. The Directorate of Health has also gained valuable experience through coordination of the brain health strategy.
Based on the insight that has been obtained, the Directorate of Health highlights a number of general recommendations concerning Norway’s forthcoming brain health strategy:
8.1 A strategy period of ten years
The duration of the updated brain health strategy should be ten years, i.e. from 2025 to 2035. The sub-objectives proposed in the draft are realistic, but also ambitious. It will take time to achieve significant results as a result of the sub-objectives. Brain health is an area that needs a long-term and holistic health perspective throughout life, both for those affected by brain disease and for the rest of the population.
8.2 A holistic approach to brain health
The updated brain health strategy should have a holistic approach which covers a broad spectrum of brain diseases. A holistic perspective can help address multiple and shared needs and challenges at the same time, thus contributing to positive effects for a wider group of individuals.
8.3 Continue the primary objectives from the previous brain health strategy
The Directorate of Health received little feedback concerning the changes to the four primary objectives as they were set out in the previous brain health strategy. The Directorate of Health considers the objectives to be comprehensive. However, the sub-objectives are crucial to achieving the main objectives and it is here that the focus should be placed in the future.
8.4 Fewer and clearer sub-objectives
The Directorate of Health believes that the updated brain health strategy should include fewer and clearer sub-objectives. At the same time, the sub-objectives should be ambitious and the strategy period sufficiently long to achieve them. It will therefore be necessary to have sub-objectives that allow for different approaches and measures in order to achieve them effectively. Having fewer sub-objectives may help to clarify priorities, expectations and resource use and foster a more concentrated effort towards achieving each sub-objective.
8.5 Action plan after launch of the strategy
In the follow-up to the updated brain health strategy, an action plan should be drawn up as an initial step. The action plan should include specific and operational measures to achieve the sub-objectives. This will require a separate assessment of which measures will be appropriate in order to achieve the sub-objectives.
The action plan should include a schedule for implementation of the measures and attainment of the sub-objectives. The plan should also include an explicit delegation of responsibility for follow-up of the measures. Criteria for the attainment of objectives, either quantitative or qualitative, should also be presented, along with evaluation methods. For the sub-objectives that are considered to be appropriate, the Directorate of Health recommends that baseline measurements be taken.
It is important that regular adjustments and updating of the action plan be facilitated, so that the plan can be adapted to new challenges and needs as they arise. Such adjustments could, for example, take place in the context of status reporting to the Ministry of Health and Care Services; see section 8.6.
8.6 Regular status reports in the work on the brain health strategy
The Directorate of Health recommends that a concise status update be given regularly to the Ministry of Health and Care Services concerning the work on the updated brain health strategy. Such reports can contribute to continuous improvement by identifying areas that are in need of further development. This will provide an opportunity to evaluate and investigate whether adjustments to measures are needed in order to achieve the sub-objectives. Regular reports also promote transparency and provide the Ministry of Health and Care Services with insight into the progress being made and any challenges that have arisen.
8.7 Midway evaluation of the work on the strategy
A mid-term evaluation of all sub-objectives should be conducted halfway through the strategy period for the updated brain health strategy. This will be important in order to assess progress, identify any challenges and adjust the measures to ensure that the sub-objectives are achieved.
8.8 Specific objectives for brain health
The sub-objectives should address needs that are not already covered by existing management documents and strategies. The Directorate of Health believes that the brain health strategy will achieve greater synergies if it supplements, rather than refers to, other strategies and initiatives. The strategy should also focus more specifically on work of relevance to brain health and to a lesser extent on areas that overlap with other public health efforts.
8.9 Utilising experiences at national and international level
The brain health strategy should be based on the experiences gained during the previous strategy period, from other areas of health and disease and from similar work being carried out in other countries.
8.10 Communication document with a strong educational approach
The updated brain health strategy should have a strong educational approach, with a clear message and direction. Efforts should be made to ensure that the strategy document does not appear too text-heavy.
8.11 Maintain collaboration with the partnership and other relevant stakeholders
It is important to maintain close collaboration with the partnership for the brain health strategy and other relevant stakeholders. This collaboration strengthens the work relating to the brain health strategy by offering an insight into challenges within brain health and exploring possible solutions from different perspectives. It can also facilitate the implementation of measures.