This Co-production Week 2026, Beth Jay, National Embedding Manager, and Ross Anderson, CpAG member for Northern Ireland, reflected on a recent piece of co-production work that combined lived experience, and academic expertise to design a new resource to enhance voice, choice and control through co-production.
Between December 2025 and May 2026, members of our Co-production Advisory Group (CpAG) and the National Embedding Team worked together to co-produce a webpage focused on enhancing voice, choice and control in adult social care through co-production.
The aim was not simply to create information about co-production. Rather, it was to collaboratively develop a live resource demonstrating how co-production can be undertaken in practice. By drawing on everyone’s expertise, the group created a webpage that signposts readers to both internal and external resources, helping them understand how co-production can be used to enhance people’s voice, choice and control in adult social care. Lived experience was embedded throughout the process. The webpage itself – including its design, structure, content, tone, feel, and future updates, was fully co-produced. Decisions were co-produced, with different perspectives shaping both the final product and the journey along the way.
Co-production in practice – Beth and Ross in conversation
BJ: “Hello Ross! Thank you for coming back to this project for a little reflection. I wanted to start by asking what you thought and felt when we first pitched this to the group.”
RA: “What stood out to me from the first meeting was the openness you brought to the process. Rather than arriving with a fixed plan, you genuinely wanted our input. It felt like you were seeking advice and collaboration rather than carrying out a consultation exercise.”
BJ: “That’s so positive to hear, as I was quite apprehensive at the start! I often find uncertainty challenging, and co-production requires a willingness to let a project develop in ways that cannot always be predicted or controlled. Looking back, trusting the process was essential and ultimately led to a positive outcome.”
RA: “What was something you found surprising about the process?”
BJ: “I was surprised by how varied people’s perspectives were, both on the content and layout of the webpage, and on how co-production itself should work. It reinforced how subjective perspectives and discussions can be, and how important it is to balance a range of views. What about you?”
RA: “I was really struck by how many issues other members identified that I had never considered. Having a diverse group involved meant the final product benefited from a much wider range of experiences and perspectives than any individual could have provided alone.”
BJ: “I sometimes found that challenging to navigate in my role, as I do not have lived experience of drawing on adult social care services myself. At times, I questioned whether my perspective was valid enough to contribute. Over time, I became more confident that facilitators also have an important voice within co-production spaces. I found myself moving from just listening to contributing more actively! It was a very encouraging space.”
RA: “Absolutely. One of the strengths of the project was the way different forms of expertise were valued. It felt like there was space to challenge each other respectfully, and that lived experience and professional experience were both recognised as important contributions. I felt that my lived experience was valued and listened to throughout the process and reflected not only in the final webpage but also in the ongoing improvements made along the way. This felt different from many projects where involvement ends once feedback has been gathered.”
BJ: “Okay, what about the challenges? It wasn’t all smooth sailing!”
RA: “There were challenges, as there always are in collaborative work, but I never felt unable to raise concerns. The environment felt safe enough to have honest conversations and work through issues together when needed. Looking back, what worked most was the genuine sense of collaboration. The process felt like something we were building together, rather than something that was being done to or for us. Would you do anything differently if we were to do this again?”
BJ: “If I could go back, I would tell myself not to worry so much about bringing my own perspective into the room. Listening is vital, but so is actively participating in discussions!”
Key reflections
Although our experiences of the project were different, we both reflected on the importance of trust, openness and valuing different forms of expertise. Co-production is often discussed as a method or approach, but our experience reminded us that it is fundamentally about relationships. The webpage (voice, Choice and Co-production – IMPACT) was the outcome of the project, but the most valuable learning came from the process itself: creating a space where people felt able to contribute, challenge, listen and learn from one another, and co-produce a webpage – something none of us had ever done before!