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Government & Not for Profit

Our public sector team works with Central and Local Governments, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts.   Our place on the COI roster since 1995 means that we have built a wealth of experience researching the public sector.

BDRC Continental is the research partner of choice for numerous central government departments, local authorities and for Non Departmental Government bodies such as The Pensions Regulator and PADA/NEST. We combine a detailed understanding of the public sector with an in-depth knowledge of media and tech - Projects with a business audience include tracking awareness of government campaigns, understanding and awareness of legislation, attitudes to innovation, access to finance and a range of segmentation studies.

We work across a variety of specialisms from campaign effectiveness, ‘customer’ satisfaction, consultation through to awareness and usage of services.

For further information please contact one of the team.

What our clients say

"BDRC Continental conducted a sensitive piece of stakeholder research for WaterAid, which involved interviewing MDs and other senior directors within virtually all of the UK water companies. We were very pleased with the research.  The interviews were conducted professionally and the findings were summarized and reported back to us with valuable added insight."
John Whitehead
Supporter Planning & Insight Manager, WaterAid

Current budget constraints mean central government has to communicate efficiently whilst remaining effective.

BDRC Continental has nearly 15 years’ experience in researching the public sector and is the research partner of choice for numerous central government departments. Add to that insight from our many other areas of expertise and the result is intelligence that informs decision making.

Using our specialist knowledge we meet our clients’ needs which range from measuring campaign effectiveness, ‘customer’ and stakeholder satisfaction, through to perceptions, awareness and usage of services.  We combine a detailed understanding of the public sector with an in-depth knowledge of health, finance, media, advertising,  transport and travelresearch to bring our clients closer to their audience, be that broad or niche consumer groups, businesses or stakeholders.

Departments and agencies use our studies to assess and plan effective communication campaigns and to formulate or evaluate policy whilst achieving maximum value from their research.

Even with limited budgets, continued consultation is essential to understanding residents' needs and maximising engagement with them.  It is paramount that researchers in local authorities can deliver focused research in a clear language that is accessible for internal stakeholders in an environment that increasingly demands evidence-based policy decisions.

BDRC Continental has a wide range of experience in engaging with residents about their communication needs, their views on provision of services by local government and running consultation processes.  We are valued for our ability to conduct robust consultation processes that balance the opinions of different groups within the community in a methodical and evidence-based manner.

Our public sector expertise, across central and local government, is applied to local projects, such as public consultations, community safety and event evaluation amongst residents.

We dig below the surface to find the key factors that influence residents’ attitudes and behaviour. This helps our clients focus their activities more effectively and direct resources where they will have the most impact.

As members of LARIA (Local Authority Research Intelligence Association) we keep abreast of the issues our local government clients face and we have presented several papers with local government clients at past LARIA conferences.

Social marketing is an ongoing challenge to many PCTs. Understanding your community, their behaviour, attitudes and needs is essential to plan effective and well-targeted communications.

BDRC Continental's researchers have extensive experience of consulting with the public to offer insight into how the activities or communications of primary care trusts are received, understood and used.

We provide social marketers in primary care trusts with the information they require to plan precise communications and understand their patients’ needs at a national and local level. 

Coupled with our sector experience covering smoking, healthy lifestyles, alcohol consumption and mental health, we provide our clients with insight and strategic recommendations that will empower decision making and determine how a primary care trust can serve its market more effectively.  We choose the most appropriate research approach to tackle even the most sensitive topics.