Reflections on Making Co-production Work: The Reality of Co-production from an Insider Perspective

This article explores the key areas by which an academic book was co-produced with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences (Sealey et al., 2022). Co-production is often now presented as a common-sense shift to delivering public services (Paget, 2014; Durose et al., 2017), with a distinct trend towards co-production in the UK in recent decades (Pieroudis et al., 2019). The book referred to was explicitly written with co-production at its heart, with twenty people involved in its writing: three editors and seventeen co-authors. Of that group sixteen identified as white and four from minority ethnic backgrounds, and ages ranged from 25 to 80+, twelve identified as female and eight as male. This is a collaborative approach to understanding the lived experiences of service users and carers, providing a unique opportunity to consider the reality of co-production from an insider perspective.

In this article, three contributors to the book, two with lived experience, have reflected on the writing process to identify key themes pertinent to making co-production work. Co-production is often seen as complex because of several barriers that limit its possibilities (Connor and Watts, 2014). However, this article will argue that co-production is possible, by building relationships with co-participants, working in an adaptable and flexible way around structures and facilitating the voices of people with lived experience. The process respected the autonomy of people with lived experiences and acknowledged working with the limitations of the co-production process. In concluding, the piece will reflect on how the lessons learnt through this process can be applied in the future. The article aims to articulate that co-production, if undertaken effectively, can enhance outcomes for all those involved.