The tone of the meeting was laid by the Minister with the announcement to Rescue, Reform and Revolutionise – the rhetoric of a commitment the country is getting used to hearing since Labour won the general election on July 4th. The pledge particularly excites me in the context of adult social care, with innovation needing to be the foundation of how the sector is transformed.
The ten-year plan, encompassing both health and social care was described in detail, it will set a precedent for designing a system fit for the future, using the backdrop of the Darzi Review – and a plan that will include contributions from every government department.
Raised at the meeting, was the intention for a consultation phase on the ten-year plan. At this point, we introduced the ladder of co-production to the Minister and shared our knowledge to highlight the difference between consultation, engagement and co-production. He spoke of Citizen’s Assemblies, which was great, but people who draw on care and support also want to be part of the discussions that follow and where decisions get made.
Consultation is the process of asking for and gathering people’s ideas and opinions, while co-production has a more meaningful and direct impact which enables shared decision-making.
Having people who draw on care and support authentically involved in the decision-making process using their lived experiences is invaluable. We need more than just a space to tell our stories, we need the platform to work as allies, and to really support government and other organisations to create, navigate, and operate systems that are inclusive and that benefit all. TLAP, Social Care Future, Learning Disability England and Carers UK showed how this could be possible in the meeting, and we want to go further.
Genuine involvement for me is about relationships, trust and being given the space to be at the heart of things, it’s about sharing power. We’d like to provide a sounding board that supports the government as they move forward with their ten-year plan for the NHS and their work on the National Care Service.
During the meeting, Stephen spoke about his plans to work through the National Care Service. We emphasised the need for good personalised support and how having people with lived experiences in roles of leadership can support this. It comes back to the point of people not only being able to tell their stories but also being able to step into decision-making roles, creating a safe environment in which people who have protected characteristics and diverse communities are able to work together. For me, this would lead to authenticity in the involvement of people who draw on care and support.
It was great to hear the Minister say he would like to continue to meet with us regularly, as a sounding board to check in on the direction of travel. I very much hope this happens and that the Department of Health and Social Care works with us to get this space as impactful and as diverse as we know it can be. After all, we are people who bring with us a range of skills and lived experiences, and more importantly, people who are able to connect with many others in our networks, bringing more people who draw on care and support into this important work.
