Research Policy Model for South African Local Government Health Sector : A Case Study on the Development of a Research Policy Model for South African Local Government Health Sector

a) IntroductionIn South Africa there is an abundance of research studies available for policy development but few of the results have contributed to policy development, despite a seemingly-receptive new political environment. This highlights the need for a health research framework at local level, which will guide the link between research and policies or programmes. There is no evidence to indicate that research results have influenced the health policy, implementation or interventions.b) AbstractThe objectives of the study are to analyse the existing health research policy framework, identify stakeholders in the health research policy processess, determine their role in the health research policy process, determine the conditions necessary for facilitating the linking of research to policy and to propose a research policy framework for the eThekwini Municipality.c) This research should help shed light on the importance of Research Policy as well as Evidence Based Research, thus should be useful to the health professionals and managers.