Working with your communities
Co-production means working with the people you support to design services. It has the potential to transform NHS mental health services by ensuring that they meet the needs of all of the community they serve, including marginalised groups. Working with communities, the local voluntary and community sector, local government and other key agencies will be key to developing local plans.
By increasing the role of people with mental health problems in shaping services, both nationally and regionally, we can deliver support that’s more empowering and cost-effective.
The National Survivor User Network’s 4PI approach sets the standard for co-production of mental health services.
The NHS People and Communities Board have also produced six principles for co-production. All STPs should be reaching out to their communities to develop their local long-term plan.
Local areas should engage meaningfully with young people when designing and delivering programmes which affect them. They should give them opportunities to shape the services they use and direct commissioning decisions.
The NHS Youth Forum is already established as a way to include young people. Plus, the Civil Society Strategy committed to including young people in the spread of Citizen Commissioners (local people supported to make decisions on behalf of their communities). They could have a role in shaping CAMHS.
Groups like local Minds have a crucial part to play in the co-design and co-delivery of local services as local experts on mental health. From social workers in local authorities to staff in voluntary organisations, many people already help others to define and reach their goals and meet their day-to-day needs.
They also help people overcome discrimination and exclusion. They deliver innovative, effective and popular services that are often designed in partnership with local service users and can be a key partner in delivering mental health pathways.
They have a strong track record in reaching out to marginalised groups that report poor outcomes from statutory services, such as people from BAME groups. They can provide a voice for people with lived experience of mental health problems, as well as facilitating direct engagement.
We need to make sure NHS England and the government recognise the skills and expertise found on the frontline in their national systems, strategies, funding solutions and priorities.
Local authorities need to be a key partner in developing local plans. That’s because they’re responsible for public health and social care, as well as services that support good mental health, like housing, parks, leisure facilities and the planning system.
This should help facilitate integration between health and social care and will encourage local authorities think about the health and wellbeing of their population in everything they do.
Developing local plans
Local areas will be expected to show how they are developing their plan with local communities, local government, the voluntary sector and other local partners, including representatives of the most marginalised communities.