Co-production is a way of working that involves people who use health and care services, carers and communities in equal partnership. It engages groups of people at the earliest stages of service design, development and evaluation. Co-production helps to ground discussions in reality, and to maintain a person-centred perspective.
Local people often have ideas and solutions that would work better for their communities. Taking part can increase people’s confidence and self-worth. It also enables and empowers people to have ‘ownership’ of their local services, and gives them a sense of purpose. It is also a great opportunity to meet others who have the same passion and want to make a difference.
As an organisation, it builds greater understanding of local health services and connects you to the community. This provides us with a better understanding of lived experiences of the people who use our services. It also provides us with an opportunity to think differently and challenge current ways of working. By taking a collaborative approach, we can learn from others and provide more responsive, relevant, and useful services.
Below are some suggestions of where to start co-producing:
Our top ten tips!
