We’ve been carrying out ethnographic research for over 15 years, documenting patient experiences of conditions such as: COPD, PAH, MS, ITP, cancer, diabetes, insomnia, eczema, mitochondrial disease, and osteoarthritis. Our clients include: NHS England, The Health Foundation, MS Society, Essex County Council, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, HFEA, Pfizer, Regeneron and Teva. We often work in partnership with research agency Narrative Health.

Although much of our work is confidential, below is a selection of examples related health that we can share. We like to keep our equipment up-to-date, so you might notice that our older films are shot in SD or HD, whilst our latest work is in 4K.

Background:

Traditionally, local authorities determined what form of care a person with long-term conditions received, and when. However with personal health budgets, the recipient is allocated a budget directly. As such, NHS England commissioned us to find out: what are the impacts of personal health budgets? And how can the budgets be applied most effectively? We visited budget recipients across the country, each representing different demographic segments, with different long-term conditions. Our focus was on: what life was like before receiving a personal health budget; any subsequent impact on day-to-day experiences, health & relationships; and participants’ outlook for the future. The video above tells Matt’s story, and includes interviews with his personal assistants and training nurse.

Testimonial:

“You were great to work with. You’re extremely professional and really take the the time to understand our needs, balancing that effectively with providing expert advice. We’ve had great feedback from all participants, who say you asked extremely insightful questions. The quality of the case studies has been consistently high, and they’re now regularly used to help people understand the impacts of more personalised care. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending you.”

– Senior Communications Manager, NHS England

Background:

This is one of our older projects: Essex was one of the first areas in the UK to offer ‘personal budgets for adult social care’. Prior to this, local authorities would dictate what form of care a person received, and when. The new initiative allocated individual budgets directly to recipients. As such, Essex County Council (ECC) and Essex Coalition for Disabled People (ECDP) wanted to know: what are the actual impacts of personal budgets for adult social care? And what would make the budgets more effective? The video above features case study participants Miriam & Nico, an elderly couple with poor eyesight, hearing and mobility. For these case studies, we used the ‘co-discovery’ interview technique, where the participant views and comments on the observational footage we’ve already recorded. Our research focused on people’s experiences of: day-to-day practicalities, information and administration, and overall impact on life. Our insights fed into a written report by the Office for Public Management, and the case studies have since been used as an educational tool for frontline staff and new service users.

Testimonial:

“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.”

– Director, Essex Coalition for Disabled People (ECDP)

Background:

Another one of our older videos: the NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement wanted to know: how do patients choose the right type of kidney dialysis for them? And what would help that decision-making process? We carried out several patient case studies, as well as clinician interviews. The video above tells Jan’s story, who inherited polycystic kidney disease from her mother.

Testimonial:

“Your deep skill in video ethnography, balanced with your naturally empathic and open nature, helped us capture some incredibly personal insights into the everyday reality of people living with chronic kidney failure. Your work provided a powerful evidence base that helped us engage with patients and clinicians. You were a delight to work with.”

– Associate, NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement

Background:

The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority asked us to explore the potential impact of a proposed treatment called ‘Mitochondria Replacement’ (sometimes referred to as ‘Three Parent Babies’), which would theoretically prevent the passing on of Mitochondrial Disease. We made a series of films, with scientists, ethicists and, as above, people whose lives have been affected by Mitochondrial Disease. The films were shown at a series of public consultations run by Dialogue By Design, to help people make an informed decision about the ethics of such a treatment, and whether it should be permitted in the UK.

Testimonial:

“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 you.”

– Chief Executive, Dialogue By Design (commissioned the research on behalf of HFEA)

Background:

Leonard Cheshire runs residential homes across the UK for people with disabilities. Through a ‘co-production’ approach, their ‘Future Choices’ programme aimed to increase residents’ choice and control, and so improve the standard of care in their homes. As such, the client wanted to know: how well did their ‘person-centred’ process run, and what were the impacts? We visited one home, Athol House, three times. Once during their group workshop, then some months later to observe the resulting activities, with a final visit for more in-depth follow-up interviews.

Testimonial:

– Future Choices Strategic Lead, Leonard Cheshire Disability

Background:

The UK government is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which sets a six-week legal limit on temporary housing, and stipulates that every child has the right to grow up in a healthy environment. But thousands of children without permanent homes are growing up in B&Bs, spending months and sometimes years there. The conditions often have an adverse affect on children’s physical and mental health. We worked with several young people who have lived in temporary housing, to understand what life has been like for them, and come up with a respectful and effective way to communicate their experiences. For maximum traction, we titled the video ‘Thousand of British Children Live Like This’, and the film was shown to MPs at Westminster last October.

Background:

This isn’t a case study, but still a healthcare project we’re very proud of. In the UK too many men ignore the early signs of cancer, leaving it too late to receive successful treatment. This is particularly the case with prostate cancer, which disproportionally affects men from BME backgrounds. This video is one of a series of snappy social media films Elliot directed for Men’s Health and featuring actor Samuel L Jackson.