Festive greetings to everyone.
Well, we’re approaching the end of 2020 and what a year it has been. I think it’s safe to say that we won’t forget it anytime soon. Genuinely from all at Oscar, and I hope without being platitudinous; we hope all you and yours have remained healthy and continue to do so and, at the further risk of being a touch Gregorian, here’s to 2021!
For us, 2020 has been a very busy year and we are very grateful to have been able to keep the doors (and windows) open, lights on and all other related similes that pertain to us being here, being busy and having the chance to work with some great clients and on some interesting projects.
The year has also brought about the crystallisation of what can only be described as a general existential crisis as to what Oscar is, what we do and why we do it. The cure; well, there’s more on that in the ‘Interesting’ section below.
Meantime, over to our usual allotments of news and info.
Updates:
It’s customary – or at least traditional this end – to start with our availability over the yuletide:
We are closed from December 23rd until Jan 4th – email will be monitored during this period and our live systems will, as ever, be available to everyone as needed.
Following the launch of our new e-Lobby Service, we have updated our Customer Guide. The latest version can be seen here
Unusually to start with on the database side; Education – for Further and Higher Education, as with the Schools, datasets we’ve been busy on post September updates and have added a new functional category to the database:
‘Academic Services – Digital’ – covering those senior Academic Department Heads responsible for Digital courses.
Speaking of new functional categories, we have another one to tell you about:
‘Board/Committee – PCN Social Prescribing’ – these are the members of the Primary Care Networks (PCNs) responsible for connecting people via non medical referrals with the community through community schemes, resources and the voluntary sector. For more on PCN’s and the other changes across Primary Healthcare, please see previous newsletters, view our intel hub, or just get in touch.
Co-incidentally, we also have two new fields to report, both are now available as optional fields for subscribers:
ActualSpend – Numerical Value showing total spend for the organisation. Data provided through a combination of direct research and modelling for smaller entities. We have recently added actual spend figures for Councils, NHS Trusts, Colleges, Larger Govt Departments and Universities as well as looking in depth at Parish Council spend.
NumChildOrgs – Shows as a numerical value the number of linked Child Organisations. This one is particularly handy for sizing/profiling the Care Home and Schools databases.
The full list of recently added optional fields can be seen here
A note for the future – we have also started looking at the relationships between Housing Association stock (ie where they are active) and Local Authority areas – more to follow on this in the coming newsletters.
Across all areas of course our research continues as ever. Levels of organisational and postholder updates/changes across the board since 1st of October 2020 are shown in the table below:
New:
We’ve made something completely new and shiny; our e-Lobby Tool
This provides an end to end solution for Charities and Membership organisations that want to create campaigns and encourage their users, supporters or members to lobby their national or local representatives. Democratic!
You can take a look here
If you’d like to know any more or book a demonstration, please just get in touch.
Interesting:
It was perhaps inevitable that BREXIT would get a mention somewhere. To which end, our friends at e-shot have put together a summary of data protection considerations post EU/Dec 31st.
Data protection regulations will not change after the UK leaves the EU, but that does not mean there is no impact on organisations from a data protection perspective. Take a look at e-shot’s overview and summary of data transfer considerations for when the UK is reclassified as a ‘third country’.
Moving away from that thorny subject and to continue from the initial preamble; who are we and what are we about (rhetorical – well, mostly!) etc.
To try and answer those philosophical musings on the what, who, how and why; we’ve been working on some Mission and Vision statements.
These are as follows:
Mission:
We facilitate better communication to, engagement with and understanding of UK Public Services through unique research, accurate data and innovative data driven systems.
Vision:
To never stop learning, growing and evolving – Furthering choice, collaboration and knowledge for the public and all working with and within UK Public Services.
Following any feedback internally and externally (that’s you, so please do let us know what you think) they will be taking pride of place on our website.
And finally, thank you to all our staff and customers this year. We wouldn’t be here without you and we appreciate all that you bring to our little corner of Devon.
A very Happy Christmas and we look forward to working with you in 2021.
James and all at Oscar
0845 226 3044
hello@oscar-research.co.uk
www.oscar-research.co.uk
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