The Department for International Development (DFID) 2009 Health Portfolio Review flagged that there had not yet been an assessment of the emerging advisory models in human development. This study aims to fill this gap by reviewing the experience to date of the most common emerging models found across DFID country offices. The purpose was to help DFID optimise the use and impact of advisory capacity.The study revolved around a series of semi-structured interviews with staff members at HQ and country office level with long experience of working in DFID. Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Nepal and Bangladesh were selected as case studies. 

The report finds that Sector Specific Advisors in health and education have enabled DFID to add value to programmes, but that whilst Hybrid Advisors have made an important contribution to addressing cross-cutting governance reforms on financial management, civil service reform and procurement, they are not suited to influencing sector specific policy on health and education.