Integrated Models for Public Policy Analysis: An Example of the Practical Use of Simulation Models in Health Care Planning

This paper argues that the time may be ripe for a further promotion of analytic methods in urban and regional planning. It describes the contribution of an integrated modelling approach to the analysis of health care provision in an English District Health Authority. The purpose is to demonstrate that if models can provide the right kind of information for the planning problem at hand then their use may actually be encouraged and support given for their development. Despite the emphasis that is given to an application in one particular authority, it is felt that some of the lessons learnt will be of wider applicability.