The Cardiff and Vale Live Well Project's Journey with Imroc
Imroc has been working across healthcare services, social care and voluntary services since 2007. We work in partnership with communities to develop systems, services and cultures that support recovery and wellbeing for all. Co-Production is core to everything we do. Through Co-Production we enable people who use services, work in services and live in communities to unlock and pool the strengths and talents they take for granted and create together new ways to make use of them. Our role in the Cardiff and Vale Live Well project has been to draw on our experience of delivering similar projects.
With Imroc’s guidance and support, the LiveWell Co-Production Group brings together members of our community, from all walks of life, with the common vision of improving health, well-being, and experience, for those living with long-term health conditions. Our approach is underpinned by mutual trust, respect, and shared responsibility, within a safe, inclusive, participatory environment. Integrating lived experience expertise alongside clinical and 3rd sector organisations has created a union focussed on achieving outcomes that matter, through compassionate means. With the support of Imroc we have moved from co-production rhetoric to reality, breaking down barriers by recognising and eliminating power imbalances. The group is a place for collective wisdom, shifting the focus from problems to shared solutions, where everyone’s expertise and skills are valued, bringing about meaningful change.
A partnership with Imroc emerged from a collaboration with the local Recovery College which supported us to understand where we were, where we were going, and how Co-Production and Peer Support could offer a unique approach, inviting opportunities that had yet to be realised. Imroc have also provided mentoring to the Live Well Co-Production Coordinators to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence in co-production approaches.
The group is demonstrating impact on two fronts, culture, and processes, building and facilitating connections between stakeholders with a shared passion in achieving “A Healthier Wales”. Mutuality and reciprocity have built trusted relationships and a collective voice, working together with a shared purpose.
“Being involved, being able to put my experiences across, to say what worked well and what didn’t work well for me, to produce this toolkit to support people is so empowering for me as a patient.”
“My experience so far has been really positive. All our work and ideas are regularly reviewed and we can see the progress we are making each session. Every idea and contribution is listened to and valued. The forum is open to anyone passionate about improving health and wellbeing for people in the area” (Co-Production Forum Member, Service User and Care Provider).”
Successes to date include:
Connecting people across communities to collaborate and reduce silo working
Stepping Stones: a co-produced toolkit to support self-management
Waiting Well Charter of Expectations adopted by Welsh Government for “The 3 Ps Policy for Pro-active Waiting” demonstrating impact at national level
Accredited peer volunteer role and training programme being piloted across sectors
Keeping Me Well webpages: ME/CFS, FND, Menopause, Endometriosis, improving access to information and self-management support
Living Well with Long-term Conditions Service currently being co-designed
Supporting services to adopt co-productive methodology in service improvement
Our next steps
We are linking together, with other projects across Wales sharing our knowledge, skills and learning. Developing a strategic plan will further embed Co-Production across individual, service and strategic levels as standard way of working. Imroc will continue to support our work by sharing their expertise and encouraging us to continue to believe in ourselves and the power of co production.
Accolades
Winner 2024: Cardiff and Vale UHB Therapies and Health Care Science Awards.
Working Across Boundaries Award
Finalist 2023: Advancing Healthcare Awards 2023 - Award for working Across Boundaries Award
Finalist 2023: Innovate Awards UK - Excellence in patient and public involvement in transformation and innovation award.