Figure 8 Consultancy
Our team of researchers and Associate Consultants provide expertise across alcohol misuse, drug misuse, mental health, suicide prevention, offending, autism, learning disability, physical disability, homelessness and housing sectors. Our team has an extensive background of managing health and social care services. We are therefore able to provide the expert link between theory and practice.
Using a whole systems approach to the design and delivery of health and social care services, we provide our clients with a broad menu of support options, helping them to identify areas for development, facilitating the change process and assisting them to review and evaluate the effectiveness of new and existing services.
Those who choose to use our services expect and deserve high quality treatment, along with support that is reliable, and a team that is able to respond to their individual needs based on evidence of best practice. That is why at Figure 8, we promote ‘Evidence into Practice’ as our key mission statement; based on the philosophy that the policy and planning cycle of government and commissioning bodies informs and is informed by, the practice and audit cycle of service providers in a continuous 'figure of 8'.
We are committed to providing the highest quality service at all times. To achieve this, we ensure that each piece of work is individually constructed to meet our client’s needs in the most efficient and cost-effective way with clearly defined timescales and outcomes.
Haylis Smith
Acting Group Manager - Mental Health and Addictions, Scottish Borders Council
Figure 8 undertook our local Mental Health Needs Assessment in 2014. I cannot recommend them highly enough. The whole process from awarding the contract to completion of the final report ran smoothly and efficiently.
As lead for the project, Andy provided a detailed plan for the process, discussed and agreed planned methodologies and showed flexibility in approach in order to meet the commissioning team’s needs. The Figure 8 team involved in this needs assessment were thorough, friendly and professional with many comments received from participants in the process, including service users, carers and senior managers about how positive the experience had been. In the end, the team exceeded expectations in the planned number of focus groups and questionnaire submissions and delivered a clear and detailed report containing the information required to develop future mental health strategy and service delivery.
The commissioning team had a limited timeframe for completion of the Needs Assessment. Figure 8 provided a detailed timeline to ensure completion within the tight timescales and delivered each step within this plan on time.
Communication between Figure 8 and lead commissioners was excellent with regular progress updates provided. The whole process was undertaken in partnership which I believe delivered the best possible results.
In summary, Figure 8 delivered an excellent service which resulted in a thorough, detailed report within tight timescales and within a budget which provided real value for money.Bryan Davies
Group Manager, Mental Health and Addictions, Scottish Borders Council
The Scottish Borders Joint Mental Health Service recently commissioned Andy Perkins and his company Figure 8 to conduct a mental health needs assessment. Throughout the process, working with Andy and his team has been an extremely positive experience. Andy’s personable manner when meeting with him and his active listening and attention to detail have ensured that the assessment has been conducted in a thorough and systematic way. Over and above this however there has been a flexibility in approach that has ensured that problems have been quickly fixed when identified and care has been taken to adjust approaches depending on which stakeholder was being engaged with. Andy has received feedback very constructively and acted swiftly on jointly discussed resolutions when needed. The quality of the work undertaken and the subsequent report that has been produced has been extremely high and very much in the vein of the overall approach taken by him and his company. We will hopefully have cause to do business with Figure 8 in the future. (2015)
Ian Smillie
Lead Officer, Perth & Kinross Alcohol and Drug Partnership
I have worked with Andy Perkins over the last three years as part of contract with Perth & Kinross Alcohol and Drug Partnership to promote and support recovery capital in Perth & Kinross. As part of this process Figure 8 carried out a set of surveys with non-specialist drug and alcohol services and specialist services to establish recovery baselines for our area. As result of this, a range of recovery meetings were run with a wide range of stakeholders. Andy was crucial in the delivery of these recovery engagement meetings. These meetings were well received and these meetings were the starting point for the identification of our Recovery Orientated System of Care (ROSC) resources. Figure 8 has been a key partner in the development of the recovery system in Perth and Kinross. Strategically, Andy has played a key role in our ADP Executive Group and other ADP working groups and has brought an insight to these meeting which members have appreciated and valued. This independent insight has allowed our ROSC to develop. I have no hesitation in recommending Andy and Figure 8 as they have played a significant part in our recovery journey. (2015)
Catriona Paton
Research and Development Officer, The Wheatley Group
Figure 8 have just completed a piece of consultancy work for Wheatley Group and the timescales which were agreed at the inception meeting were challenging. Although Figure 8 acknowledged the tight timescales they had every confidence that they could meet them and I am delighted to report that they met every deadline set out in the project plan. Over and above this they kept me up to date with progress, advised me of any challenges/barriers they met with along the way and always had a solution to overcome them. I never had to contact them to seek reassurance that the project was on track and was confident that they would deliver what they said they would, when they said they would. I’d like to thank you and your team for all of your work on this project. It has been a pleasure working with you all and we really appreciated your professionalism, flexibility and straightforward and honest approach. (2014)
Dr Kate Bailey
Consultant in Public Health, Public Health & Wellbeing Directorate, NHS Sussex/West Sussex County Council
The Needs Assessment in West Sussex achieved the commissioned outcomes. Figure 8 have been very flexible and responsive to work with. Their original project plan was one of the reasons we chose them above other bidders. In drafting the final report it was informed by research conclusions from other areas and this has been a valuable part of the work. (2014)
Suzanne Baird
Health Promotion Manager, NHS Orkney
Orkney Alcohol and Drug Partnership used Figure 8 to undertake the local needs assessment (2013) and subsequently our revised ADP Strategy (2014). We found their service very good, particularly the understanding of a remote and rural area's issues and effective communication between both parties. We would recommend their skills and services to other ADP’s. (2014)
Adrian McLaughlin
Principal Planning Officer, Social Work and Health, Angus Council
I would commend Figure 8, the work was carried out professionally. This is a complex area with multiple stakeholders, Figure 8 skilfully negotiated the challenges and created and maintained an excellent relationship with all stakeholders, this is reflected in the quality of the end product. (2013)
Gail Forrest
Mental Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator, Angus Council
I was delighted with the evaluation work that Figure 8 carried out for Choose Life Angus and Dundee. It was key that our evaluation was undertaken independently to allow a fair and honest evaluation and this is exactly what we received from Figure 8. A great company to work with and would not hesitate in recommending them to others and indeed future work with Choose Life Angus and Dundee. (2013)
Steve Hedley
Chief Executive, Trinity Homeless Projects, London
Andy from Figure 8 has delivered various training courses for Trinity over the years: Therapeutic Community Principles, Relapse Prevention, Facilitating Groups, Managerial Supervision & Solution Focused Brief Therapy. About twenty of our staff have benefited from Andy's training, including myself, and as a result we have had to completely rewrite what we do and how we do it. By discovering that we are not the experts and that people have the solutions to their own problems, we have had to retrain all our staff who, as a result, have been on individual journeys of self discovery. We now provide space for people, not answers, we now listen, not tell, we now facilitate and empower, rather than advise and do things for people. In short, Andy's training has meant an awful lot of work and managing people through change, so, if you don't want your world turned upside down by insightful & visionary training, and radically improving your services is not your cup of tea, do not employ Figure 8! (2011)
Andy Lancaster
Formerly Head of Learning and Development, Phoenix Futures (Currently, Head of Learning and Development, CIPD)
I've worked with the team at Figure 8 Consultancy for a number of years and I think they are fantastic! As Head of Learning and Development for a UK substance misuse rehabilitation charity they provided consistently brilliant training and consultancy advice. This was not only a key factor in helping our staff and clients, but also in supporting us to improve our training provision to the extent that we got a number of national recognitions. All members of the Figure 8 team are friendly, approachable, knowledgeable, innovative and always willing to go the extra mile. And, being based in Dundee and having to deliver training all over the UK that was literally the case! Dundee is lucky and should be proud to have such an amazing organisation at its heart! (2011)
Website Design by