At this stage, it is time for the designated authority in the practice to use the information obtained through the data collection and consultation to decide on a course of action. Consider the positives and negatives of all options and devise a formal action plan.
The practice’s action plan must appropriately evidence the decision for one of the following policy options:
- No major change
- Adjust the policy
- Continue the policy
- Stop and remove the policy
If policy change is to occur, consider change management strategies to make the transition into new policy more suitable for members of the practice.
What will you do with the comments or information you have gathered from your consultations?
- Consultation notes and relevant data should be used to evidence and guide the policy action plan
- Decisions must be supported by the evidence
- Were there unrepresented groups during consultation?
- All relevant data, information, consultation notes, and the action plan should be included on the final EIA Outcome Report
How did the consultation help guide new policy?
- Determine if consultation unveiled new themes
- Determine if consultation supported pre-existing observations
- Does further consultation and research need to be conducted?
- Were consultation recommendations properly evidenced?
Will you make any changes to the draft report you produced?
- Consider if the consultation evidences need for the draft report to be altered
- Do aspects need to be added or removed from the policy action plan?
- Can the draft report be developed into a final EIA Outcome Report?