CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

“I was impressed by the professionalism and ease of working with you.

In particular, because you work day in, day out so intimately with consumers, I felt you really grounded the work from the consumer perspective – both at the design and the analysis stage. Your voice was fresh, different, constructive, warm and ‘real’.

The case studies were a valuable component of the final work. They provided a context and immediacy that brought some of the deeper understandings in the report to life for our stakeholders. It made it clear this was a genuine piece of research with real messages for public policy and professional ethics (and not just some piece of fancy-wrapped piece of lobbying). And it got people thinking more widely about choices at retirement than just the mechanics of annuities and pricing.

I’ve certainly used the overall work since then on a number of occasions – not least on shaping the Government guidance that begat their public PensionsWise service.

I’d happily recommend you!”

Brief: How do people manage their finances in retirement? And what would help us plan more effectively?

Client: AEGON

From: AEGON Corporate Affairs Consultant

“We were very pleased with the results.

The time you invested getting to know and listen to some of the disabled and older people in Essex really paid off. We were able to see and hear directly the reality of people’s lives, and share the resulting in-depth insights with staff at all levels in the council.

Grounded in solid research, it was a powerful approach that helped create a strong case for making things better than we ever could have done alone.”

Brief: What are the impacts of personal budgets for adult social care? And what would make the budgets more effective?

Client: Essex Coalition for Disabled People

From: Director, ECDP

“You were fantastic to work with – quickly getting to the heart of the brief and coming up with lots of great, creative ideas.

The video case studies you produced were really engaging and attractive, and your insights made a real contribution to our overall research findings.

I wouldn’t hesitate to commission you again and to recommend Close-Up Research to others.”

Brief: How does water usage vary between households? And how can conservation be promoted?

Client: Anglian Water

From: Head of Research at OPM, who commissioned the research on behalf of Anglian Water

“You were very flexible in meeting our needs, which weren’t altogether straightforward and did change over time!

You listened to our requirements and asked us a lot of good questions to help us think it through. We, and our exchange participants, liked and trusted you, and you responded to our feedback very quickly and flexibly throughout.

The final product was excellent, and used at events, such as the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) conference, and as a member resource on our website.

I’d recommend Close-Up Research to others to give an honest, in-depth look at work being undertaken. You ask good questions, and give a polished final product.

You have a wealth of experience, really listen to the client, and provide excellent results which meet client needs.”

Brief: How well did an international exchange programme for healthcare professionals run? And what were the key ‘integrated care’ insights?

Client: Advancing Quality Alliance

From: Project Co-ordinator, AQuA

“Your work generated new insights into the multi-faceted and compound nature of rural exclusion. You always want to understand the wider context of a project, so that your work complements and enhances it, rather than being just an add-on.

You bring a very professional approach and care greatly about the integrity of the work. Your ability to grasp complex topics, distil what’s needed to be communicated, and present it in a creative and accessible way is impressive.

You’re also great at meeting crazy deadlines. I’d have no hesitation in recommending Close-Up Research.”

Brief: What are the socio-economic barriers faced by people living in rural England? And what policy measures could be made to help?

Client: Commission for Rural Communities

From: Chief Executive at Dialogue By Design, who commissioned the research on behalf of CRC.

“Working in improvement within the NHS, I had been used to video case studies, but our work with you took this to a whole new, much deeper and richer level.

Your deep skill in the field of video-ethnography, balanced with your naturally empathic and open nature, helped us to capture some incredibly personal insights into the everyday reality of people’s lives when living with chronic kidney failure. But more, beyond simple insight, your work helped provide a powerful evidence base that helped us engage with and work alongside patients and clinicians in a more open and dialogic way.

Your clear passion for your work shone through; both in the time that you were prepared to invest in really understanding what we were seeking to achieve and, most importantly, in the time that you invested in really getting to know the people who you would ultimately be capturing on film. Professional throughout, you were a joy and a delight to work with.”

Brief: How do patients choose the right type of kidney dialysis for them? And what would help that decision-making process?

Client: NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement

From: Thought Leadership Associate, NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement

“You were a joy to work with.

What I appreciate is that you invested time up front to really understand the brief and the wider context of our project. This meant that during the filming, analysis and editing you could drive the process forward and take initiative.

At the same time, you are always collaborative, giving us lots of opportunities to provide input and help shape the final project.

You have fantastic people skills and are adept at putting participants at ease and getting the best from them. Your focus is always on the needs of the end users, and you show a real commitment to delivering clear, impactful and thoughtful output, with a highly professional finish. I can confidently recommend Close-Up Research.”

Brief: Why do black-african pharmacy candidate perform comparatively less well in the registration assessment? And what would help them achieve more success?

Client: General Pharmaceutical Council

From: Senior Consultant at OPM, who commissioned the research on behalf of GPhC

“Your work surfaced really useful insights, which helped form the basis of how the family intervention team then designed their service.

The families themselves responded well to you, allowing you into their home and being candid about the issues they faced, giving a real glance into their daily lives.

You were key in helping us understand how families generally view the interventions available to them, which both challenged and complemented our other research methods.”

Brief: What are the experiences of families affected by ‘entrenched disadvantage’? And what would help them become less dependent on services?

Client: The Young Foundation

From: Senior Associate, The Young Foundation

“Your sensitive approach to understanding the actual person, rather than just another consumer, brought the findings to life in a way that a written report can never do.

Rather than just reading about generic consumer attitudes, my policy colleagues were exposed to real views from real people.

The case studies were shared more widely with industry participants at workshops to demonstrate the impact of the scheme and the difference it can make to consumers’ lives.”

Brief: How effective has OFGEM’s ‘Warm Home Discount’ scheme been? And what would help improve its effectiveness?

Client: OFGEM

From: Senior Consumer Insight Manager, OFGEM

“You were great to work with. You are extremely professional and really take the time to listen and understand our needs, balancing that effectively with providing expert advice.

We’ve had great feedback from all the participants, who say that you asked extremely insightful questions and helped them to feel at ease in front of the camera.

The quality of the case studies has been consistently high, and they are now regularly being used to help people to understand personal health budgets and the results of more personalised care.

I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending you.”

Brief: What’s been the impact on the lives of people receiving personal health budgets? And where do the budgets work best?

Client: NHS England

From: Senior Communications Manager, NHS England

“You were responsive to deal with, and able to build honest, trusting relationships with a range of people, providing a safe place for them to share their views and experiences.

The work helped us to get under the skin of the issue and informed a successful national pilot that we carried out in Lewisham.”

Brief: What have been the experiences of people accessing the welfare-to-work scheme? And what would help improve those experiences and the employment outcomes?

Client: Lewisham Strategic Partnership

From: Principal Policy & Projects Officer, LSP