Making a case for co-production: from speakers corner to centre stage

If the Care Act was like a stick of Blackpool Rock, Coproduction would be like one of those letters that runs through it, perhaps alongside personalisation and wellbeing. This is good news, certainly for those who have campaigned for years for coproduction to be a driver of public policy. And at NCASC we were asked to make the case for coproduction to be front and centre of Care Act implementation - not just a mantra, but a something we do, for real!

At the Speakers Corner at Manchester (a strange modernist igloo that would not look out of place in SoHo Advertising Agency) we talked about co-production, what it meant to the social care sector and what it means to people who use services and carers.

We outlined that the Care Act gives a strong steer to local authorities about how co-production is used as a way to commission, design, plan and review service delivery. In the final Guidance it says: 'Local Authority should promote participation in providing interventions that are co-produced with individuals, families, carers and families.' The Act also references important guidance on the Care Act by TLAP and SCIE.

We highlighted a few examples of local authorities that, while it may be early days, are following not just the letter of the Act on co-production, but the spirit too. The London Borough of Islington, for instance, a signee to the Making it Real commitment, have established a Making it Real board, co-chaired by a person using services, with representation from Experts by Experience, the voluntary and community sector, and other individuals - including carers is planning and commissioning personalised services. The council has also developed a concordat on Co-production, a document that can be referred to whenever people want judge whether it is indeed making coproduction real.

We also talked about what co-production means to people who use services and their carers. Yes, sometimes 'coproduction' is not a word they would necessarily use, but individuals do increasingly understand what it means in practice: it's about having an equal voice and involvement in making decisions about how services are commissioned and provided. And it can make a difference, not just as a way of making services more sensitive to the needs of those using the service and carers and producing better outcomes, but importantly, in reducing unnecessary costs and inefficiencies. And this point was raised by the audience, we have an emerging 'business case' for co-production, and in a time of austerity and funding cuts, we now need to make a more compelling case for how coproduction can save money over the longer term.

Another point that was made by a member of the audience was this, and hence the title of this blog: 'instead of being talked about at a pokey Speakers Corner, shouldn't this discussion be on the main stage'. Conferences are difficult at the best of times to organise - these things happen. But in the future, given that co-production is a core principle of the Care Act, is there not a strong case for co-production to be given a bigger platform. We think so, and we hope many of you do to.

Co-production. One word that, if implemented correctly, has the potential to transform our ways of working and improve relationships which become entrenched in equality, respect and recognition of people's skills, talents and values. Many will deliberate over how to define the word or how to ensure the concept becomes a real process for creating positive change in their environment. Whilst there is evidence of where co-production has worked extremely well, providing people who have been marginalised and isolated by society the power to effect the design, development and delivery of services that they use and experience, embedding co-production can result in various challenges and barriers - preventing it from becoming a natural process for achieving better outcomes for individuals as well as the functioning of society.

Co-production must not be seen or relied upon as the only process for creating positive change. In the current climate of reductions in service resources, as well as strained relationships between people in decision-making positions and people who use or require services, it is imperative to ensure the principles of co-production are embedded within a holistic support framework and the lack of empowered participation is addressed.

For further information see Top Ten Tips for Co-production and SCIE's guide: Co-production in social care - what it is and how to do it. (opens new window)