The CO-ACTION team held an afternoon workshop, kindly hosted by Improving Lives Plymouth at their office in the Mannamead Wellbeing Hub. It was a brilliant opportunity to collaborate with members of the Improving Lives Plymouth community, who made the CO-ACTION team feel welcome and comfortable.
Improving Lives Plymouth is a local charity that helps people with health and social needs live independently and stay connected. Their Long-Term Conditions Self-Management Programme offers short group courses, encouraging attendees to share knowledge and develop strategies for managing long-term conditions day to day.
The CO-ACTION team was interested in understanding the priorities of people living with multiple long-term conditions when they access healthcare services. Through open discussion, the group shared thoughtful perspectives on the challenges they face in accessing support, the outcomes that matter most when using healthcare services, and the changes that could help services better meet these needs. Everyone engaged openly in the discussions, which helped the CO-ACTION team to better understand people’s needs and priorities.
The event reinforced the importance of designing healthcare services with people, rather than just for them. Through meaningful conversations with communities of experts by experience, we can design an intervention that better meets people’s needs because it is based on a shared understanding of what matters most to them.
Feedback from this event has also helped the team to reflect on how they can collaborate more effectively with community members in the future. The team aims to ensure that everyone has enough time and space to contribute to group activities, especially given the rich experiences people bring. They also aim to give participants the best opportunity to get involved by advertising events and sending invitations as early as possible.
Overall, this workshop was a powerful example of what can happen when researchers make space to listen and collaborate with communities. The CO-ACTION team is incredibly grateful to all those who took part and to Improving Lives Plymouth for hosting them.
More information about Improving Lives Plymouth and the support they offer can be found on their website: Improving Lives Plymouth.