The Co-production Police and accountability

By Kevin Minier, carer. 

Many of us have been heavily involved in ‘co-production’ activities where we were:

1. not involved until the end (rubber-stamp or not as the case may be)
2. the solution has already been decided
3. your suggestions do not fit the current model and so are rejected
4. you thought you were listened to but none of it appears in the final service
5. you were ‘consulted’ and you never hear of it again
6. they did not even offer you travel expenses let alone an attendance fee
7. they gave you two days notice, the times were impossible due to your other commitments, and they would not even provide lunch
8. the venue did not consider physical access or sensory requirements
9. you noticed that key stakeholders were not present or even invited
10. you noticed that key comments were not documented - ignored.

We need Co-production Police.  A best practice checklist for TRUE co-production.  Everybody involved in a ‘co-production’ activity could score against this checklist highlighting to the service provider the effectiveness of their co-production process.

Name and shame – if necessary.

There is a call for better patient and public involvement especially in the health and social care sector.

Now is the time!