Yesterday, colleagues involved in our Demonstrator project on co-producing better ways to manage and respond to waiting lists in the East Midlands gathered for a celebration and launch event in Leicester.
Raj Gill-Harrison, who chaired the project steering group, opened the event before handing over to Jon Glasby, IMPACT’s Director. Jon talked about how we work when money and time are tight and things are difficult:
“Evidence isn’t a luxury it helps us focus on things that makes a difference to people’s lives. […] Everything that we talk about today is thinking about the types of lives that people want to lead, and how services and wrap around support those lives.”
Jon Wilson, Director of Social Services at Leicestershire County Council, representing East Midlands ADASS, looked at what the East Midlands can do better to support local people. He emphasised the importance of effective communication when supporting people who are waiting for a social care assessment, and how the project outcomes will help with this.
Lorraine Mighty and Naomi Russell, IMPACT Senior Strategic Improvement Coaches on this project, introduced the Demonstrator model before moving on to this particular project and co-production.
Their focus for action was on: effective asset mapping, waiting well packs for citizens and waiting well guidance for staff. Throughout, the project was co-produced, and three members of the steering group, Raj Gill-Harrison, Jacqui Darlington and Adam Webb talked about the project and what ‘good’ coproduction looks and feels like.
Jon Wilson talked about how this celebration event isn’t the end of the project; the waiting well guidance and packs for citizens will be launched across the East Midlands. He went on to say these need to be “live documents”, linking people with community organisations.
Julie Trew spoke about how the theory of change works in relation to growing parsnips: there’s a need for change, so what do I do, how and when? You can work backwards from successful parsnips for Sunday lunch. Failing to change would mean no parsnips again ….
Laura Broderick, a graphic artist, created a live illustration of the discussions.
