What is Co-Production and why does it matter?
Last year saw us work with a group of service users from across the Trust to establish our Service User Council. We wanted to recruit people who are passionate about improving mental health services, people who are passionate about representing the voice of others accessing our services and people keen to make good connections with other service users at their local level. The development of the Service User Council is an example of real co-production in practice.
Chair of the Service User Council, Dan Stears, recently gave an interview for the Made For Living Newsletter where he talked about how co-production builds trust, creates purpose and leads to real change.
In addition to the Service User Council, Dan has engaged with the Trust for many years, using his lived experience to support with PLACE inspections, to recruit staff in various roles and to support with the development of North View.
“True co-production means starting with a blank sheet, not a polished plan. It means recognising that the voices in the room — service users, staff, commissioners, designers — all carry equal weight. And it means being ready to be wrong.”
When asked about the difference between consultation and co-production, Dan had the following to offer:
“Consultation is asking, ‘Which of these three colours do you prefer for the wall?’ Co-production is asking, ‘Do we actually need this wall?’”
Before services look to involve people with lived experience in service development, it’s important that they consider the Ladder of Co-Production which outlines the journey from coercion (where service users are mere spectators) through to full co-production (where they shape services side by side with professionals).
At the bottom? Coercion — where people are told what will happen.
In the middle? Consultation — where people are asked, with restricted choice.
At the top? Co-Production — where people co-create the solution from the outset.
You can download the full resource here: thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/resources/ladder-of-co-production
From his experience engaging with services over the years, Dan stated that “…even well-meaning teams can fall into the trap of consultation that feels inclusive but isn’t. Co-production demands humility. It asks, ‘Are we brave enough to share the pen?’”
Dan shared a recent example of good practice, where our Service User Council have utilised their voice to bring about improvements in the food available across our inpatient services:
“Service users can spend weeks, months, even years in these facilities…I wouldn’t have been happy eating from the same three-week menu for a year, and I don’t think anyone else would either. There was this belief that as long as the food was healthy, that was enough. But food is about more than that. It’s about connection, culture, and joy.
"The Service User Council called for more variety, food with flavour, identity, and warmth, something you'd choose at a local pub, or that reminds you of home, not just what you’d accept in a hospital.
"A good meal can offer hope...and hope is a gateway. Hope in food becomes hope in therapy, in relationships, and hope for tomorrow, and life.
"This transformation didn’t require a multi-million pound investment or a five-year plan. It required one thing: listening.
"A group of service users said, “We deserve better…” and their voice was heard. That’s co-production and a real positive impact. Imagine what else can be achieved through more listening.
"As a result GMMH went on to top the PLACE assessments for NHS food quality, and was shortlisted for national awards.
"I was speaking to our catering manager just last week…he’s off to London for a national awards ceremony. Imagine that… a chef in a mental health facility is being celebrated. The impact the catering staff now has on patient recovery is incredible!”
In addition to the above, the Service User Council has recently helped us to co-produce a set of Involvement Standards to support our services to better engage with people who use their services and their carers.
These standards highlight the importance of collaborative care, learning from feedback, and co-designing, co-delivering and co-evaluating services with service users and carers.
Council members are now involved in the roll out of these standards meaning you might meet members of the Council during the Quality Visit process.
You also might have also seen members of the Service User Council at your local service user & carer forums in various localities across the Trust footprint.
To find out more about the role of our Service User Council, email ServiceUsersandCarers@gmmh.nhs.uk
