Co-production

What is co-production?

Co-production means working together as equals and making best use of our resources and strengths to find ways of doing things that benefit our community.

Co-production can improve the way health and social care services are designed and delivered by putting an emphasis on a more equal partnership between professionals and people using those services. Working together as equals builds better relationships (based on trust, respect and understanding) and helps to create services that actually work for the people using them.

A new publication developed by the Oxfordshire County Council's Co-Production team shows how co-production has been implemented to develop local services. See here: http://www.oxfordshireccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/CoproHandbook_Full.pdf

The Team-Up Co-Production Board

Team-Up is the name of Oxfordshire County Council's Co-production Board. OCCG is an active member of the Board; and is taking the learning from our participation to develop how we can co-design services with local people.

Board members check, challenge, advise and support the council and the NHS in their co-production work. The board is a group of people who are experts through experience using, or caring for someone using, health and social care services. They sit alongside and work together as equals with staff who work in health and social care.

Co-production isn’t just about improving services and saving money, it’s about involving people in decisions that affect their lives and giving communities collective ownership. It helps people flourish and feel a sense of place and belonging, and and ultimately leads to improved wellbeing, and a thriving, diverse community.

Co-production champions

The co-production champions main aim is to work with people to help them learn about, use and embed co-production, so it becomes the usual way of working.

The champions group is made up of people who have experience of using, or caring for someone using, health and social care services, people who work in the voluntary and community sector, and staff who work in health and social care. Their job is to enable co-production to spread, by championing co-production, teaching people about it, and training and supporting more people to do it. OCCG has members of staff who are co-production champions helping to support others in the organisation and community to participate co-production.

How can I become a champion or board member?

If you are passionate about co-production and making things better, you can apply to become a co-production board member or champion through Oxfordshire County Council. 

As a member or champion, you will be expected to:

  • live in Oxfordshire
  • fully understand and be committed to the principles of co-production and the belief that everyone is equal
  • attend and contribute to meetings, training, workshops, and focus groups
  • do some work connected with projects and meetings, often in time outside of meetings
  • be confident to challenge and question in a helpful and respectful way
  • use your knowledge and personal experience of using social and health care services, or caring for someone who does, to support the aims of the programme
  • want to contribute to the development of services in Oxfordshire
  • understand the need to balance openness and confidentiality
  • have good communication skills
  • respect people’s differences and their different needs.

If you could like to find out more please contact the Co-Production Team, find the team on Twitter @OxonCopro or the CCG on occg.talking.health@nhs.net