Please select one of the headings on the left for further information.

Who we are

Dedicated Provider

Founded in 1997, we are dedicated to the provision of high quality work based programmes to improve organisational and employee performance.

Depth of Experience

We combine the depth and breadth of our Employee Assistance and performance management experience with years of counselling experience gained through servicing the needs of a wide range of public and private sector clients.

Key Staff

Richard Hopkins BBS (Hons) BA
Managing Director

A service business professional with over 30 years’ experience in advising senior management on a range of business and human resource issues. Richard has been at the forefront of the development of EAPs in the UK since the late ’80s. He is a past-chair of the UK Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) (1994-1998), immediate past EAPA International Regional Director (1998-2002) and co-founder and current President of the Employee Assistance European Forum (EAEF).

Dr Barrie Brown BSc (ECON) MSc PhD AFBPsS C.Psychol
Operations Director

Barrie has a track record of success as a clinician, university lecturer, public sector manager (NHS) and management development consultant at senior levels in public and private sector organisations, both in the UK and internationally. He brings a rare combination of clinical direction and business skills to the development and delivery of the company’s services.

Dovedale's Role

Our Employee Assistance Programmes and related services are designed to maximise the benefits for both employers and employees. The following are just a few examples of the ways in which we do this:

For the employer

• Meet duty-of-care obligations
• Provide external, strategic consultancy support for a wide range of performance management issues
• Improve workplace performance
• Provide independent performance management consultation service for managers/supervisors/staff reps
• Support “employer of choice”/”caring” employer/employee wellbeing policies

For employees

• Easy-to-access confidential, professional effective support for a wide range of work and personal issues
• Appreciated “safety net”
• A well regarded service with high levels of user satisfaction
• Valuable source of guidance/advice on life management issues
• A demonstration of how much they (and often their families) are valued by their employer
• Support for their colleagues with difficulties

Dovedale’s Policies for Effective Employee Assistance

Professionalism and Quality

We share the view that the most important asset any organisation has is its people. Their well being is vital to the organisation’s continued success and development. We respect this view by providing professional specialist support resources managed to meet the specific needs of individual employees and their organisations, and by being accountable for the work that we do. Our counsellors and other advisers are professionals who work within recognised codes of practice.

National & International Coverage

We offer comprehensive Employee Assistance services with a UK network of over 600 counsellors and specialist advisors. In Ireland we have a similar network. We are also able to offer European and International support through partnership arrangements with specially selected providers.

Confidential Support

Individual confidentiality is critical to the success of our services. Within the limits of the law, both the counsellors’ codes of practice and those of Dovedale itself insist on confidentiality. Counselling typically takes place off-site in Dovedale-approved counsellors’ offices, close to the workplace or home.

Measured Outcomes

Effective Employee Assistance also depends on maintaining high standards and measuring outcomes. Our unique range of performance outcome measures enables our client organisations to track our performance against agreed service evaluation targets.