Power-sharing: A journey

By Mike Goodwin, Gemma Stacey and Linda Sunderland, School of Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham


We pride ourselves itself on our reputation for working in partnership with the public in education and research. Following an external review, the school committed to an ethos that supported co-production.

A new structure was developed to enable this. However, in practice people involved experienced their influence inhibited by existing power structures. Then the School unilaterally altered the way it engaged members of the public, to comply with new employment law - those affected felt disregarded, disempowered and undervalued and, crucially, that the School’s actions contradicted its espoused values.

The ensuing reaction challenged the organisation’s executive power. People collectively empowered themselves, mobilising their resources to express their discontent; their cause was supported by academic staff and trade union representatives.

With the prospect of reputational damage and withdrawal of public contribution to curriculum delivery and quality monitoring, there was an organisational impetus to redress the power imbalance. However at one stage, the two ‘sides’ held widely diverging perceptions of each others motivations and there seemed little prospect of a solution.  

A way forward did emerge - via an open meeting where a crucial power shift occurred facilitated through active listening, understanding differing viewpoints, accepting criticism and compromise. This enabled collaboration towards a solution, including a more equitable public engagement structure - the established power structures had adapted to accommodate a new one.

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Although the process was challenging we realised that whilst our motivations were different, our end goal was shared - to achieve the best quality educational experience for our students and to positively impact healthcare practice.

We hope to embody our learning and develop a shared culture. There is commitment to ensure developments are based on mutual agreement; and an awareness that power lies not with one or other part of the organisation, but within the process of developing solutions that are jointly accepted. Such mutually shared power can fit within or alongside existing power structures, and challenge and inform them. What will be most important is that the honesty and transparency continues and this enables everyone to work collaboratively towards change.