Co-production and quality improvement

While all forms of involvement are valuable and contribute to delivering high-quality care, we are committed to making co-production a central part of how we work. Co-production goes beyond consultation or engagement. It involves sharing power and decision-making with people who use our services.

As we implement our Clinical Strategy, we are committed to making co-production the default approach across the organisation. Co-production is essential to delivering truly person-centred care as it ensures that our services are shaped by those who know them best: people with lived experience.

By working in equal partnership, we stay focused on what truly matters and create services that are more responsive, person-centred, and effective. Embedding co-production means putting people at the heart of everything we do, ensuring their voices are not just heard, but lead the way.

Co-production is about people with lived experience and staff working as equals, sharing expertise and power to improve outcomes and services for people who use them, families, friends and staff. - Devon Provider Collaborative Co-production Steering Group

Co production and quality improvement

We know that real improvements happen when the people who use our services are involved. That's why we work hard to make sure people we support, and their carers, are truly involved in our quality improvement (QI) projects.

Our work on the Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Transformation programme, including Culture of Care, is a great example of this.

By using co-production, staff and people who use our services have been working together to test ideas and make positive, lasting changes.

An example of this work includes the completion of environmental assessments across the majority of inpatient wards. These assessments utilised a standardised tool - the Residential Environment Impact Scale (REIS), which evaluates four key domains: everyday space, everyday objects, enabling relationships and structure of activities.

The assessments were jointly undertaken by occupational therapists and experts by experience, ensuring a holistic and inclusive perspective.

The process involved a comprehensive walkthrough of the ward environment, observation of everyday routines and the collection of insights from both patients and staff through questionnaires and focus groups.

Findings from these assessments will directly inform ongoing improvements to inpatient environments, ensuring they are shaped by the experiences of those who use and deliver our services.