Joint Co-Production Week Celebration!

To mark National Co-production Week, the Slough Co-production Network hosted a virtual open event on 7th July to showcase our approach in Slough.

The Co-production Network brings together Slough residents with experience of health and social care services, alongside staff working in Slough Borough Council’s Adult Social Care team, Mental Health services, Frimley Clinical Commissioning Group (Health), and HealthWatch Slough.

The network works together in equal partnership to:

• Shape local health and social care services;
• Really listen and engage with local people;
• Make decisions about services together;
• Work with and engage the wider community.

Since the launch in March 2019, the Co-production Network has become a strong and vibrant group, influencing the development of local services and working on a variety of projects promoting the value of co-production.

We were really pleased that 60 people with an interest in health and adult social care (either through being a resident of Slough or through their job roles) attended our celebratory event. It was an opportunity to describe what co-production means to us both as a network and within in local Mental Health services. Experts by experience shared their personal experiences about how their contributions have had a positive influence and impact on local health and social care services.

Audience members found the day “really helpful,” with one attendee remarking that the event “clearly demonstrates how co-production can enhance and add value to the services”. As co-production is so crucial to us, it was very encouraging for another audience member to comment that “co-production is very important to improve services in Slough.”

If you would like to know more about the Slough Co-production Network, please get in touch through the email address below. The Network is also particularly keen to encourage more people with direct experience of health and care services that want to work as part of a team to help find shared solutions for the wider community to join in! If you are interested, please email BeInvolved@slough.gov.uk with any questions or to learn more.