CQC Quality Statements
Theme 4 – Leadership: Learning, improvement and innovation
We statement
We focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across our organisation and the local system. We encourage creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. We actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
Adults who use care and support services, and those of partner agencies, are at the centre of the personalisation agenda and the Care Act 2014. Feedback from adults and carers about their service experience and outcomes – that were either achieved or not achieved – are vital to providing effective and appropriate services.
2. Co-production
Co-production is a way of working whereby everybody – adults who use services, carers and staff – works together on an equal basis to create a service or come to a decision which works for them all.
However, the definition of co-production does change in different settings (see What is Co-production? TLAP).
The Care Act states:
Co-production is when you as an individual influence the support and services you receive, or when groups of people get together to influence the way that services are designed, commissioned and delivered.
The TLAP National Co-production Advisory Group says:
Co-production is not just a word, it is not just a concept, it is a meeting of minds coming together to find shared solutions. In practice, co-production involves people who use services being consulted, included and working together from the start to the end of any project that affects them. When co-production works best, people who use services and carers are valued by organisations as equal partners, can share power and have influence over decisions made.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research notes five key principles of co-production:
- sharing of power – the research is jointly owned and people work together to achieve a joint understanding;
- including all perspectives and skills – make sure the research team includes all those who can make a contribution;
- respecting and valuing the knowledge of all those working together on the research – everyone is of equal importance;
- reciprocity – everybody benefits from working together;
- building and maintaining relationships – an emphasis on relationships is key to sharing power. There needs to be joint understanding and consensus and clarity over roles and responsibilities. It is also important to value people and unlock potential.
3. Involving People with Lived Experience
People with lived experience of services should be involved at each level of development, delivery, and review of care and support services in order to:
- ensure that services are developed to meet the care and support needs of adults;
- ensure that the services which are provided are of good quality;
- ensure positive outcomes for those who use the service.
Service commissioners should ensure that people with lived experience can:
- have their views considered in the development of new strategies and services;
- contribute to the review and performance management of existing strategies and services;
- receive information on planning and delivering of new services in an accessible and jargon-free format;
- contribute to meetings and decision making where practicable. This may include practical support (for example, reimbursement of expenses; considering the time and venue for meetings) and other assistance (for example help to deal with jargon – see TLAP Care and Support Jargon Buster, stress, power imbalances);
- access appropriate training and mentoring support to enable them to contribute to planning arenas.
Social workers and service providers should ensure people with lived experience:
- have easy access to a charter on their rights and responsibilities within the service;
- have easy access to clear information on all the services available (see Information and Advice chapter);
- have access to information on their care and support options (see Care and Support Planning chapter);
- are fully involved in the assessment process and development and review of their individual care plan and have their needs, wishes and goals incorporated into their plan (see Assessment chapter);
- receive information on how to make comments, complaints and compliments about the service they receive (see Complaints chapter);
- contribute to the evaluation of the service.
4. Further Reading
4.1 Relevant chapters
4.2 Relevant information
Think Local Act Personal, Co-production
Am I Invisible? Using Co-production to Advocate Change in Social Care (SCIE)
Examples of Co-production in Social Care – Animation (SCIE, YouTube)
Quality Statement 4: Using People’s Views to Improve the Service (NICE)
