Embedding Lived Experience in Service Design and Improvement.
Authors: Aurora Todisco and Faith Smith
Continuing the Conversation
Part of the Estia Centre's Learning Together 2026 blog series, featuring articles from conference speakers and contributors.
Starting with a question
On 23 June 2026, we had the privilege of co-delivering a workshop at Estia's Learning Together 2026 conference entitled "Co-Production in action: embedding lived experience in service design and improvement.
The conference theme, "Do You Still See Me?", invited everyone to reflect on what it means to truly see, hear and value the people who use services. It is a simple question, yet one that sits at the heart of co-production and service improvement.
As we prepared for the session, we realised that this question reflected many of our own experiences. Between us, we brought a combination of professional expertise, lived experience and caring responsibilities to the discussion.
Aurora joined the session online, drawing on more than 22 years of experience in Finance, Human Resources and Governance Development, including the last nine years working within a North East London health and social care charity. Alongside her professional experience, she brings the perspectives of a patient advocate, patient leader and carer.
Faith facilitated the session in person, sharing her perspective as a carer of a South London and Maudsley (SLaM) service user and reflecting on the importance of ensuring that lived experience is not simply acknowledged but actively shapes decisions about services and support.
Although one of us was online and the other in the room, our session itself reflected the principles of collaboration and partnership that underpin co-production. Together, we explored a fundamental question: How do we move beyond consultation and create genuine partnerships with the people services exist to support?
More Than Consultation
Throughout our careers and lived experiences, we have seen organisations make significant efforts to involve people in decision-making. However, we have also seen situations where involvement begins too late.
- People are invited to meetings after decisions have already been made.
- Feedback is gathered but not acted upon.
- Lived experience is acknowledged but not given equal weight.
This is where co-production differs.
True co-production is not about asking people what they think once a project is complete. It is not about ticking a box and it is not about inviting someone to sit around a table without giving them any influence. Co-production means involving people from the very beginning. It means recognising lived experience as expertise. It means sharing power, building trust and creating opportunities for people to influence decisions that affect their lives.
As Aurora reflected during the session:
People do not want to be consulted. They want to be partners. People do not want decisions made for them. They want decisions made with them.
When organisations embrace this approach, services become more inclusive, more accessible and more responsive to people's real needs.
Bringing Co-Production to Life
During the workshop, we wanted to move beyond theory and focus on practical examples. Faith shared her experiences of co-production and the realities of engaging with services as a carer. Her reflections highlighted the importance of listening to lived experience, building trust and ensuring that involvement is meaningful rather than tokenistic.
She complemented this with examples from research, and service improvement, demonstrating how co-production can strengthen projects, improve outcomes and ensure that services better reflect the needs of the people they support.
Together, we explored what helps co-production succeed, what barriers can get in the way and how organisations can move from good intentions to meaningful action.
One of the key messages we shared was that co-production is not a single event or activity.
- It is a relationship.
- It requires openness.
- It requires honesty.
- And it requires organisations to be willing to share power.
What Participants Told Us
One of the most rewarding parts of the day was hearing from participants.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and reflected the enthusiasm in the room for learning more about co-production and lived experience involvement.
Participants described the session as:
- Clear, enjoyable and engaging
- Practical and relevant to their work
- Interactive and informative
- Down-to-earth and thought-provoking
- Helpful in understanding how to make co-production meaningful rather than tokenistic
Some of the comments included:
- "Good classroom and time management. Excellent presentation."
- "Excellent message from the presenters."
- "I loved the interactiveness of the presentation. The examples were clear to understand and connect to the concept of co-production."
- "Really clear, enjoyable and engaging. Thank you for the work you do."
- "Really enjoyable."
- "I enjoyed the workshop. It was practical to my work."
- "Really interesting talk – down to earth and practical. Everyone can take something away from this session."
- "Fantastic and helpful reflections to take forward into service design – making co-production meaningful and not tokenistic."
- "Great interactive session."
- "Great presentation, most engaging and interactive so far, simple and informative."
- "This workshop was so interesting and informative. Thank you."
- "Great presentation. Faith was really interactive and insightful. Will think about this for our family meetings."
- "Thank you Faith and Aurora. Short and sweet message, yet impactful. Thank you for all you both do."
Reading these comments reminded us why co-production matters. When people are given the opportunity to reflect, share experiences and learn from one another, conversations become richer and solutions become stronger.
Valuable Challenges
The feedback also highlighted a strong appetite for more learning and practical support.
Participants asked for:
- More examples of co-production in practice
- More examples linking co-production and research
- Additional resources and guidance
- More practical implementation strategies
- More time to explore the topic in greater depth
We welcomed these suggestions. They tell us that many professionals genuinely want to embed co-production within their organisations but are looking for practical tools and confidence to help them do so.
This is encouraging. It shows that the conversation has moved beyond asking whether co-production matters and towards asking how we can do it better.
Looking Forward
Reflecting on the session, we were reminded that co-production is ultimately about relationships. If we want people to feel seen, heard and valued, we must create opportunities for them to influence decisions rather than simply comment on them.
As carers, advocates and partners in improvement, we have both experienced the difference that meaningful involvement can make.
- We have seen services improve when organisations listen.
- We have seen trust grow when people feel their experiences are respected.
- And we have seen the positive impact that genuine partnership can have on individuals, families and communities.
The challenge we left participants with was simple:
Don't ask how people can fit into your service. Ask how your service can work better for the people it exists to serve.
The conference asked: "Do You Still See Me?"
For us, the answer lies in co-production.
- Seeing people means recognising their expertise.
- Hearing people means acting on what they tell us.
- Valuing people means sharing power and working together to improve services.
- When we move beyond consultation and embrace genuine partnership, everyone benefits.
That is what co-production in action looks like.
Thank you to Estia for creating a space for these important conversations, and thank you to everyone who attended, contributed and shared their reflections. We look forward to continuing the conversation and working together to make co-production a reality rather than an aspiration.
About the authors:
Aurora Todisco, winner of the National B.A.M.E. Health & Care Awards 2025 Advocacy and Patient Experience Champion Award, is a Finance, HR and Governance Development Lead with 22+ years' experience, including 9 years in health and social care. Combining professional expertise and lived experience, she champions patient safety, health equity and co-production, working with national stakeholders to drive meaningful system-wide change.
Faith Evans is a carer who thrives on being there in a real sense. Working together with organisations to grow Meaningful Inclusive Co-Production For her own well-being she writes and perform poetry.