Co-production

What is co-production?

Co-production means designing and delivering services together with the people who use them, on an equal footing. In recovery services, it means people with lived experience are not just consulted after decisions are made — they are genuine partners from the very beginning, helping to shape what services exist, how they work, and how success is measured.

It is different from consultation (asking people what they think after decisions are made) and from participation (inviting people to join a meeting but not giving them real influence). Co-production means sharing power from the start.

Why it matters for recovery services

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) identifies co-production as one of the most effective ways to improve public services. In recovery, co-production:

Produces services that people actually want to use
Reduces the gap between what services offer and what people need
Builds trust and reduces feelings of “us and them”
Helps people in recovery build skills, confidence, and purpose
Leads to better value for money because resources go where they are needed most

The ladder of co-production

Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) describes a ladder that helps organisations understand where they are and where they want to get to:

Involvement — people are asked for their views and those views genuinely influence decisions
Participation — people are active partners in planning and review processes
Partnership — power is shared; people with lived experience have real decision-making authority
Co-production — services are designed, delivered, and evaluated by people with lived experience working alongside professionals as equals

The six principles

Based on the SCIE framework and TLAP guidance:

1. Equality

Everyone’s contribution is valued equally. Professional knowledge is not more important than lived experience.

2. Diversity

Include people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Avoid relying on the same small group.

3. Accessibility

Remove barriers to involvement. Think about timing, venues, language, childcare, travel costs, and digital access.

4. Reciprocity

Everyone benefits. People give time and expertise; they should receive recognition, development, and fair payment where possible.

5. Shared responsibility

Co-production is not a one-off event. It requires ongoing commitment from everyone involved.

6. Transparency

Be honest about what can and cannot change. Share budgets, constraints, and timelines openly.

Practical steps

Step 1: Create the conditions

Ask honestly: is the organisation ready to share power? What structures are in place to act on what people tell you?

Step 2: Involve people at the right stage

The most common mistake is involving people too late. Genuine co-production means involvement from the very beginning: when the problem is being defined and options are being explored.

Step 3: Remove practical barriers

Pay people for their time and expertise (not just expenses)
Hold meetings in accessible, welcoming spaces
Offer different formats (one-to-one, online, creative methods)
Be flexible about when meetings happen
Provide support — a trusted peer who can help someone prepare

Step 4: Build capacity

Not everyone is ready to sit in a formal planning meeting on day one. Invest in peer researcher training, facilitation skills, and confidence building.

Step 5: Be honest about the limits

Not every decision can be co-produced. Being transparent about what is on the table and what is not builds trust.

Step 6: Close the feedback loop

Always report back: here is what you told us, here is what we changed, here is what we could not change and why.

Co-production readiness checklist

Are you ready to co-produce?

☐ We have a clear topic or question to co-produce around
☐ We have identified people with lived experience to involve (not just the usual suspects)
☐ We have a budget for expenses and fair payment
☐ We have a venue that is accessible, neutral, and comfortable
☐ We have a skilled facilitator (not a senior manager)
☐ We are willing to share real decision-making power
☐ We can be transparent about budgets, timelines, and constraints
☐ We have a plan for feeding back to participants after the process
☐ We can commit to ongoing involvement, not just a one-off session

Workshop plan template

Co-production Workshop — 3 Hour Plan

Time	Activity	Purpose
0:00	Welcome, introductions, ground rules	Build safety and trust
0:20	Scene setting — what are we here to work on?	Shared understanding
0:35	Small group discussion — what works, what does not	Capture diverse perspectives
1:05	Feedback to whole group, identify themes	Build shared picture
1:25	Break (refreshments provided)	Rest and informal conversation
1:40	Small groups — design ideas and solutions	Creative problem-solving
2:10	Share ideas, discuss feasibility, prioritise	Move from ideas to commitments
2:40	Agree actions, responsibilities, and timeline	Clear next steps
2:50	Reflection and close	Continuous improvement

Example: Redesigning a drop-in service

A local authority in the North West invited 15 people with lived experience to a co-production workshop series (three sessions over six weeks) to redesign their main recovery drop-in service. Every participant was paid £25 per meeting plus full travel expenses.

Participants redesigned the opening hours (adding evenings), the welcome process (replacing the reception desk with a peer greeter), and the activity programme (adding cooking sessions and a podcast studio). The group was explicitly told: “We will only proceed if you are happy with the design. You have a veto.”

Attendance at the service increased by 40% within three months. The commissioner reflected: “We spent four months longer on design than we normally would. We saved two years of rebuilding a service that didn’t work.”