The Co-production Advisory Group was formed in May 2022 and our work is supported by the Lived Experience Engagement Lead. Our ten members were recruited from each of the five national IMPACT assemblies from across the UK. Each member has direct experience of drawing on care and support or as a carer. To support their work the group has developed a Charter.
Prior to this group, we had a Co-production Panel. The panel was involved in early plans during the co-design phase of IMPACT.
Our Co-Production Team
Karen
McCormick
Lived Experience
Engagement Lead
As a parent of a young adult with a disability, I found myself researching personalisation in care and international best practice. My research and lived experience ignited a passion for something better – change and reform. That’s what I think IMPACT is about and I’m delighted to be part of the Advisory Group team.
Ann Marie
Penman
Scotland
Too often, the voices and views of lived experience are not listened to. I see IMPACT as an opportunity to share my lived experiences, as a carer, in a place where they will be heard, and can contribute to positive change within adult social care.
Isaac Samuels
England South & West Midlands
I am passionate about adult social care, and the difference this advisory group can make to people with disabilities. IMPACT is really trying to establish best practices across the sector. As a brown, gay, disabled person, I feel it is important for me to be a voice for others like me in this process.
Ceri Davis BEM
England South & West Midlands
I am actively involved in charitable work for disabled, disadvantaged, and life-limited children and families. My focus is on lived experience projects and opportunities. IMPACT stands out to me because, like everyone else, I believe that good support is about having a life.
Terence Davies
Wales
For over 12 years I have been sharing my personal learning about taking back control for my own health, self-management, and advocating for myself and my health needs. I believe my work within IMPACT’s Advisory Group is a chance to take this one step further.
Caroline Kelly
Northern Ireland
My son, David, was born with Prader-Willi Syndrome. For forty-five years, I have managed his care, whether that meant providing it myself or eventually drawing on care services so he could gain much-needed independence. As a parent carer and a lawyer, I’m determined that IMPACT must have a positive influence on the problems evident in adult social care systems.
Jacqui Darlington
England North & East Midlands
I’m a Carers Wellbeing Working and Communications Officer for The Carers Centre Leicestershire and Rutland, vice chair of Healthwatch Rutland, and a local awareness and online awareness raiser volunteer for Carers UK. I’m passionate about ensuring unpaid carers get the help and support they need, and that they’re well informed of their rights so they can make decisions. I’m also passionate about young adults with additional needs getting the same opportunities as their peers so started the Out of Hours Club Rutland.
Orla Fitzsimons
Northern Ireland
I’m a parent carer for a 16-year-old son with disabilities, a mental health service user, and a survivor of domestic abuse. I’m also a Community Children’s Nurse with 25 years of experience working with children and young people with disabilities/palliative care needs, their parent carers and families in Northern Ireland’s communities, homes, and schools. I discovered co-production and its benefits when I (and other parent carers) formed Parent Action CIC, a social enterprise providing independent advocacy services for parent carers.
Jo Phillips
Wales
I’m the Mum of three teenagers, one of whom has complex additional needs that weren’t diagnosed until he became a teenager. Both of my other children have been impacted by their brother not having the correct support.
I’m a qualified independent advocate and regularly participate in local authority, regional partnership boards, and government consultations on legislation related to social services, ALN, and anything that relates to carers. I’m a trustee for Swansea Parent Carer Forum and feel very strongly that our adult children must be recognised and supported (“No wrong door”).
Luke Nash
England North & East Midlands
Being involved in IMPACT’s Advisory Group is so important for me, not necessarily for myself but for the people who haven’t got a voice. I drew on social care later than most and realised that the quality of adult care is not at the level it should be. One of my biggest achievements within my charity work was writing a report on Changing Places and working with MENCAP on the Changing Places campaign while juggling my own education.
Natalie Patterson
Scotland
I am passionate about using my voice and lived experience to speak up for people like me with a disability and others who can’t speak for themselves. Disabled people should have equal access to employment and education. I want to help change the perceptions of disability and how we can live more inclusive lives. IMPACT gives me a forum to share the realities of this.
Together we are working to develop, support, monitor, advise and review IMPACT’s co-production activity. We will meet three times throughout 2022 and take part in two development sessions. Towards the end of 2022 we will produce an annual report for the IMPACT Leadership Team on progress made during the year, areas of good practice and areas for further development. We look forward to opportunities to engage with other lived experience groups involved in co-production.
You can get in touch with us and find out more about our work by contacting [email protected]
