Worcestershire County Council has become the first local authority in the West Midlands region to sign a pledge committing to working with people who use current Adult Social Care services.
The pledge was signed at a recent launch event for the Building Together Forum, a new group which has been created to work alongside council staff to advise, support and challenge them on the way services are and should be provided.
A survey that was conducted last year by the Council, revealed 75 percent of people said they would like to use services designed by people who use the services.
The pledge has been produced by people with experience of services working in co-production with the West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership.
Co-production sets out a way of working where professionals and those who use Adult Social Care services, work in equal partnership to develop services or make decisions to meet people’s needs.
Mark Fitton, Strategic Director of People at Worcestershire County Council said: “I am fully committed to coproduction being fundamental to the development of services and as a positive challenge to our assumptions as to what care and support people need. Worcestershire County Council Adult Social Care and I value the views of Worcestershire residents and the experience that they have of the services that we provide. I look forward to strengthening this approach through the launch of our Building Together programme of work.”
There were four speakers, David Gower, David Johnston, Mary Nettle and Mark Lynes, who shared their personal experiences at the event, and how they thought co-production and working with those who use services more closely would improve things for people across the county.
A graphic artist created a visual representation of both meetings and the key themes that attendees would like the Council to take on board and look to improve upon.
As the Building Together project moves forward, the Council will develop a Peer Support Network, Building Together Board and a Building Together forum. The forum will work closely with other boards within Adult Social Care, and look to form partnerships across the county.
The goal will be to ensure that at all times people who use services and their carers have an equal voice and influence over decisions that are made
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