We continue our National Co-production Week (3 – 7 July) series revealing more about our Experts By Experience (EbE) Co-production Service.
We have around 60 experts by experience involved in a wide variety of co-produced work and while we can’t cover it all in one week, we are sharing some highlights that demonstrate the scope and impact of this project.
Today we meet James Carter, co-chair of the Working in Partnership with Learning Disability Board across Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care System. He chats to Grapevine senior project worker Suzie Crowter.
The Board which James co-chairs oversees eight themes relating to learning disabled people.
They are: staying healthy, having a good life, having friends and relationships, having a good home and being independent, keeping safe and out of trouble, preparing for adulthood, getting a job and keeping it, and education and training.
In this video, James and Suzie speak about the ‘Getting a Job and Keeping It’ theme. More here.
James is helping to ensure the voices of people who use public services are at the heart of what services do and how they do it. His seat at the table is crucial because he is able to encourage new ways of thinking and create pathways for change.
Our EbE Co-production Service matches opportunities to people’s lived experiences so they can share insights and direct decision making. People are also paid for their time and experience. It forms part of our #ShiftingPower work.
National Co-production Week is an opportunity to celebrate effective co-production, share stories of it working well and promote the huge contribution people using services can make when their voices are heard and they can help shape those services to work better for disabled people.
Thanks to James and Suzie for sharing their thoughts for National Co-production Week.
How we talk about what we do
The EbE Co-production Team – Suzie, Sophie, Andrew and Remie – have spent some time writing guidance that clearly communicates what the project is all about. Others may find it useful too. Contact the team to continue the conversation at ebe@grapevinecovandwarks.org.
The team, from left to right: Andrew, Suzie, Sophie and Remie.
We work alongside:
Experts by Experience
People who are autistic
People who are neurodivergent
People who have a learning disability
People who have a learning difficulty
People who care about them
Parents
Carers
Partners
Coventry and Warwickshire’s Integrated Care System
Warwickshire County Council (WCC)
Coventry City Council (CCC)
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust (CWPT)
Staff at all levels of the health and care system
Providers of health and care support.
Why?
To enable those with lived experience to influence and improve services across Coventry and Warwickshire
To develop a culture of good, creative co-production practice
To ensure the voices of people who use services are at the very heart of what services do and how they do it
To encourage new ways of thinking and create a pathway for change
To share power and have equal representation.
How?
Recruit, listen to and learn from Experts by Experience from a range of minority communities
Ensure Experts by Experience are in decision making positions in local health and care systems
Focus on collaboration and help everyone to work together as equals in shared spaces
Offer training to Experts by Experience and share good practice
Respect people’s time and experience by paying Experts by Experience
Match opportunities to people’s lived experiences so they can share insights and direct decision making.
To achieve what change?
Help health and care services to work better for and with disabled people.
Help providers to have a better understanding of the desires and experiences of the people who use their services.
Help health and care systems to listen to and act on the insights from people with lived experience.
This project is commissioned by Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council and Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board.
