The Managing Director of ADHD 360, Phil Anderton is a seasoned business advisor, program manager, and facilitator with a remarkable track record of delivering improvements and efficiencies across both private and public sectors. However, it is his profound knowledge of mental health disorders and his unwavering commitment to making a meaningful impact that sets him apart.
Under Phil’s leadership and expertise, ADHD 360 Limited has emerged as an innovative force in providing care for individuals with ADHD. Their approach to care and support is unique and progressive, reflecting Phil’s dedication to improving the lives of those with ADHD.
Phil’s role has evolved from being a disruptor of the status quo to becoming an influencer of change in the broader context of ADHD and Autism futures. He takes pride in the responsibility of leading an organization with over 135 employees, serving the healthcare needs of thousands and providing national services for the NHS.
Phil’s daily routine is anything but routine, and he thrives on the unpredictability of each day. A chance encounter at an Apple store in Spring 2023 exemplifies the impact of his work. A young man, a 360 patient, recognized Phil’s ADHD 360 jacket and shared his life-changing experience. He attributed his ability to work for Apple to the care and treatment he received from ADHD 360. Phil’s interactions with patients like these serve as reminders of the profound difference their organization makes in people’s lives.
While Phil spent 25 years as a police officer, earning degrees along the way, it is his current role leading ADHD 360 that brings him immense happiness. The joy he sees in patients’ faces as they recount the positive impact of their services reinforces his dedication to their cause. Phil Anderton’s journey from disruptor to influencer showcases the transformative power of dedicated leadership in the field of mental health care and support.
Comprehensive Offerings
360 is an organization that specializes in providing assessment, diagnosis, and treatment services for two prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions: ADHD and Autism. What sets the company apart is its innovative approach to healthcare delivery, as it challenges the conventional norms by operating as a virtual hospital. Leveraging IT-enabled solutions, cloud-based data systems, and a robust process framework, 360 manages a human interface in virtual clinics. This is made possible by a remote workforce located across the UK.
360’s patient demographic is diverse, spanning from 4-year-olds to individuals as old as 76. The organization caters to both private patients and holds several NHS contracts, demonstrating its commitment to making its services accessible to a wide range of individuals in need.
A Journey to Bringing Awareness and Change
During his tenure as a senior police officer, Phil became acutely aware of the connections between poorly managed or untreated ADHD and criminal behavior. The statistics underscored this issue: while 5% of the general population has ADHD, a staggering 25% of the UK prison population also has ADHD. This glaring disparity became a driving mission for Phil.
In his pursuit of change, Phil authored books, published papers, and made incremental improvements both in the UK and internationally. However, he remained dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs. He collaborated with the government and the NHS to instigate systemic changes. His final role in the police, working for the Home Office, involved introducing a new doctrine and national IT systems to address information-sharing deficiencies that had contributed to the tragic murders of two young schoolgirls in Soham.
This pivotal role led Phil to make a career-changing decision. He retired from the police force at the age of 43 and embarked on a second career as a management consultant, initially with PwC. Armed with a new set of skills, competencies, and unwavering determination to drive change in the realm of ADHD, Phil left PwC and established himself as an independent management consultant. For two years, he was deeply embedded in the NHS, seeking opportunities for excellence and improvement within ADHD clinics throughout the UK.
After publishing his findings, Phil had an epiphany moment. He realized that addressing ADHD-related issues couldn’t rely solely on the NHS; a more comprehensive approach was needed. He rallied two highly reputable and competent clinicians, Jen Lewis-Neill and Lisa Mangle, to join him in founding ADHD 360. The team was soon joined by Samantha, who is now Phil’s wife, and on December 24, 2018, ADHD 360 transitioned from a concept to a tangible reality.
Leadership Philosophy
Phil emphasizes that effective leadership is grounded in humility, honesty, and transparency. Striking the right balance in these qualities, and leveraging the wealth of insights available from colleagues regarding the organization, oneself, and the team, often leads to organic growth.
Mentorship plays a vital role in Phil’s journey, and he acknowledges the importance of mentors in his life. Jack Riggs serves as a source of wisdom on human behavior, and his interactions with Jack are not just informative but also uplifting. Kevin Thistlethwaite contributes his strategic acumen, guiding Phil’s thinking on future prospects, problem-solving, and the direction of his journey.
In today’s world, Phil believes that leaders should still trust their instincts. Amid the prevalence of immediate data and risk-averse decision-making, successful entrepreneurs distinguish themselves by taking calculated and balanced risks. As Kevin frequently reminds Phil, “never let perfection get in the way of progress.” Procrastination and excessive debate can stifle innovation, particularly in fields like theirs, where they are enhancing people’s lives on a daily basis. Challenging the norm, disrupting the status quo, and making continuous progress are essential components of their work, which has a direct impact on improving lives.
Significance of Combining Passion and Heart in Healthcare
Phil emphasizes that when hiring new team members, it’s crucial to focus on attracting individuals with the right behaviors rather than specific skills. He mentions a statement borrowed from a Professor in the United States that has been integral to their recruitment philosophy: “If you can’t bring your heart to the game, don’t turn up. Your patients need you.”
This mantra underscores the importance of seeking individuals who are deeply passionate about healthcare and view it as more than just a job. In healthcare, it’s not merely a profession; it’s a calling and a vocation driven by a genuine passion for helping others.
Progress and Innovation
Phil highlights that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes and innovations by challenging existing norms. It forced society to adapt, innovate, and find new ways of thinking to address the challenges posed by the pandemic. These changes represent progress that should not be overlooked or dismissed once the pandemic subsides. He uses a policing analogy to illustrate this point, referring to situations of social unrest, especially riots, where there’s a need to take and hold ground. In the context of the pandemic, taking new ground represents the changes and innovations that have emerged. Holding that ground means ensuring that these changes become a permanent part of our post-pandemic society, rather than reverting to the previous status quo. It’s about recognizing the value of progress and innovation and ensuring that they endure beyond the crisis.
Risk and Reward
Phil’s greatest personal risk was not about himself but about ADHD 360. Taking the first step to hire an employee three years ago was a daunting experience. It involved taking on the responsibility for someone’s welfare, income, and future, which can be terrifying for any business owner. However, the success story of Ashlie, their first hire who is now the Operations Manager, has shown that taking that initial risk and trusting one’s instincts can lead to significant rewards. It’s a testament to the idea that sometimes, overcoming perceived risks is essential for personal and organizational growth.
Reforming Mental Health Awareness and Healthcare
Phil underscores the importance of society fully accepting and addressing mental ill health. While some progress has been made, especially in the wake of the pandemic, there is still a long way to go in combating invisible illnesses. Stigma, dogma, and the resulting anxiety often deter individuals from being honest about their struggles.
At 360, they take pride in employing a significant number of neuro-diverse team members and are willing to adapt roles and create new ones to suit the individual needs of team members who might not fit into the originally intended roles.
In Phil’s view, healthcare, particularly in the UK, remains a postcode lottery. Access needs to become more equitable, readily available, and cost-effective. The private sector has a crucial role to play in conjunction with the national healthcare provision. The current format of the NHS is not sustainable, and private providers like ADHD 360 are demonstrating that they can offer a world-class service to the NHS that is agile, cost-effective, and of higher quality than the current provision.
ADHD 360 is delivering assessments without waiting lists, achieving a higher quality of service, and doing so at a lower cost than comparable services. They conduct over 1,200 new assessments each month, surpassing the entire national provision in England and Wales. Phil’s mission is to confront challenges head-on and embrace modern science, which often challenges established norms. Disruption driven by data and noble intentions is, in his opinion, the way forward to effect meaningful change.
A Vision for Growth
360’s strategic plan for 2023/4 is centered around the theme of “growth.” There is a pressing national and international demand for high-quality services catering to the neurodiversity community, and this need remains largely unfulfilled. The team at 360 aspires to become the preferred national provider of these services, aiming to eliminate the procurement barriers that currently exist among numerous NHS commissioning organizations.
Moreover, 360 is exploring opportunities to expand its successful model beyond national borders. The team is actively considering entry into new territories, with a particular focus on regions like the Middle East, Australia, and the United States. This expansion would not only serve as a testament to 360’s commitment to addressing the global need for neurodiversity support but also as a means to share their expertise and make a positive impact on a broader scale.
Written by Steve Sanchez.
