Why not pick what works for people?

Why not pick what works for people? Co-production after COVID-19

By Andrew McCulloch and Laura Able

There is plenty of pessimism and plenty of hurt around right now understandably. But we also need to ask, “what will be the opportunities for co-production flowing from the Covid-19 crisis?”

One immediate priority is to move Social Care and the NHS back from an emergency footing to start addressing the huge backlog together with new physical and mental health problems. The efficient and value-driven way to do this will be to co-produce the best pathways and responses with patients and the public. Service users best know what solutions work for them, whether it is telemedicine, phone calls, distanced visits and so on. These responses need to be thought through, co-designed and implemented together involving people with lived experience, user led voluntary organisations, social enterprises, and front-line staff.

There are several positives that can support and energise co-production creating a benign spiral:

• Innovative solutions have been trialled by a range of agencies from informal community groups through to large Trusts and local authorities – why not pick what works for people!
• Communities have engaged as volunteers and new links have been forged
• Many people have tried out new tools such as digital platforms and can feedback on what works (so long as digital exclusion is addressed whether directly via free kit and internet or with alternatives)
• Many co-produced solutions are non-bureaucratic and cost effective – and this will be critical in a time of scarce resources
• BAME groups and much of the rest of Civil Society has been responding to Black Lives Matter in a way that could boost efforts to co-produce culturally sensitive and specific services
• Some clinicians and managers have responded creatively to crisis, and they could become product champions for co-production, and this could be supported with a national training programme in co-production.

Now is the time to stop the “system” re-asserting itself and make a step change towards deeper co-production in health and social care.


Laura Able is a wannabe agent of change and co-production catalyst.

Andrew McCulloch is an independent consultant in health and social care.