Dan Wellings, Head of the Behaviour Change Unit, Ipsos MORI

Dan started his career as an Assistant Researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) working on the evaluation of Health Promotion campaigns.
After his time at LSHTM he moved into Healthcare Market Research. Dan was the Head of the Branding and Communications Unit at Synovate Healthcare, specialising in insight work to inform the marketing of healthcare products.
In 2005 Dan moved back to Social Research before taking a Masters in Public Health at LSHTM. Prior to joining Ipsos MORI Dan worked with the National Social Marketing Centre (NSMC) on a Social Marketing Capacity and Capability Study for the NHS North West.

At Ipsos MORI, Dan is Head of Public Health Research and set up the Behaviour Change unit. The aim of the behaviour unit is to provide high-quality, theory-based research that looks to make a difference. We feel insight should be provided at all stages so when it comes to evaluations we do not just deliver results on what worked and what didn’t but also look to understand why and what could be done to make a difference in the future.
Dan has worked with a number of clients across a wide range of interventions. Recent projects have included:
• Looking at how communications could be developed to encourage people to plan for end of life care for the East of England Strategic Health Authority
• Tracking a Dementia campaigns for the Department of Health. The aim of the campaign was to change behaviour towards people suffering from dementia
• Developing strategies to lower obesity rates for Bexley PCT
• Insight work to understand behaviours around street drinking in Tower Hamlets
• Ipsos MORI is currently running a piece of international research in 24 countries tracking attitudes to what role government should play in shaping our behaviour

Dan speaks regularly at conferences on behaviour change and the role that research can play in ensuring that interventions maximise their return on investment.