Co-producing a quality service standards framework for people with dementia

Project Background

The Facilitator project with Meeting Centres Scotland will develop a co-produced Quality Standards Framework  to ensure consistent, high-quality, person-centred dementia support across its network.

This framework will balance each centre’s unique, community-led spirit with the need for accountability and reliability, benefiting people living with dementia, their families, and funders. Meeting Centres Scotland’s co-production approach, involving people with lived experience in decision-making, aligns with IMPACT’s mission of bottom-up, evidence-informed change. With IMPACT’s support, Meeting Centres Scotland will unify best practices, strengthen local partnerships, and create a transparent model that enhances sustainability and trust. This project is based in Dundee, Scotland.

IMPACT Factfile

Evidence Review

There is limited evidence for different methodological approaches in the dementia care and support context and particularly of involving people living with dementia as experts. Overall, however, the evidence available shows that the inclusion of people with lived experience is associated with the development of more meaningful and relevant standards and indicators. While no single approach exists for how best to develop new quality standards frameworks and indicators using coproduction processes, the evidence reviewed contains the following recommendations for how standards and quality indicators should be developed:

  • With a national or service-focused strategy in mind to guide development.
  • Using evidence about what people with dementia and their families value to provide a clear rationale for each quality standard or statement.
  • In co-production with people with lived experience of dementia and unpaid carers as well as professionals.
  • Containing standards applicable to all people with dementia and unpaid carers.
  • Containing clearly defined quality indicators for each standard that can be evidenced and measured in ways that are not onerous.
  • To promote access to services and support for people from socially marginalised groups and protect their rights, and
  • Be written in person-first language from the perspective of someone with dementia or an unpaid carer for someone with dementia.

The evidence in the review also highlights a range of methods that can be used to co-produce a quality framework and indicators. In selecting methods, consideration should be given to:

  • The time and resources available.
  • Keeping in touch with participants between activities, e.g., providing feedback between meetings.
  • Presenting materials that are clear and understandable for the people who will be involved.
  • Providing ongoing guidance about what is involved.
  • Recruiting participants through existing organisations / services to improve diversity and retention.
  • Consider using additional visual and non-visual methods to aid engagement and understanding, if appropriate.

Project Updates

Co-production in Action

Co-production is at the heart of Meeting Centres Scotland. Recently, people who attend, support and deliver Meeting Centres took time to share what quality really means to them — and their voices are shaping what comes next.

Through our survey, we heard clearly that Meeting Centres are about much more than activities. Feeling welcome, being listened to, building relationships and having choice all matter deeply. People spoke about the importance of kindness, belonging and having space to simply be themselves.

This feedback is now directly informing the development of the Meeting Centres Scotland Quality Standards Framework. Our aim is to build on what already works well, while supporting consistency and quality across Meeting Centres in a way that remains flexible and person-centred.

Thank you to everyone who shared their views. Your experiences, insights and ideas are helping to shape the future of Meeting Centres Scotland — together.

Meet Our Facilitator: Andy Wynd

Andy Wynd

My name is Andy and my Facilitator project involves working in collaboration with Meeting Centres Scotland to co-produce a Quality Standards Framework that reflects the values, experiences and priorities of those involved in Meeting Centres across Scotland. I bring extensive experience from across the health and social care sector, with a strong focus on ageing for those with long term conditions, person-centred practice, and community-led approaches.