What we were asked to do
Having been invited to be involved in the Lincolnshire Living With Cancer (LWC) Programme from its inception, Every-One witnessed a desire to ensure quality outcomes developed with people who have need of Cancer services. The Living With Cancer team, funded by Macmillan, ensured that co-production was not only built into the strategy and planning of the programme but also into the leadership ethos and behaviors. From decision-makers to those on the front line, we supported the building of the knowledge, skills and confidence of staff to embrace co-production approaches and to ensure that it has become ‘how things are done around here’.
What we did
Working with the LWC team, we established our first Cancer Co-production Group in May 2019, and have facilitated this group to become an effective and inspiring group of people with lived experience of Cancer, bringing insight and positive challenge to numerous work elements ensuring that their experiences add value. Together with many people leading projects and initiatives within Lincolnshire NHS services, we facilitated the co-production of work such as Cancer Care Reviews, Holistic Needs Assessment processes, a Recovery College course for people with Cancer, Late Effects of Radiology, Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy information for people and much more.
In recognition of the specific health inequality challenges faced by people living on the East Coast of Lincolnshire with Cancer, a further Cancer Co-production Group was established in September 2021. This group has enabled a real understanding of the place-based issues experienced by people and as a result, we were able, together with the Living With Cancer team, to present at the Health Inequalities Board around transport-related challenges.
What happened next
More recently, we have worked with both the Living With Cancer Programme and the Health Inequalities Programme to develop and deliver targeted engagement / co-production with people who have not completed FIT Bowel Screening tests. We saw first-hand, how members of both teams have worked together and with us to challenge their own assumptions and potential biases ensuring that people are at the centre of this work.
Every-One’s role has been a mixture of development and delivery, but also of coaching and stretching team members to build true co-production into their working practices and to reflect and question their approaches. However, we were pleased to be pushing at an open door and welcomed into the team as a critical friend.
We have seen such growth and commitment at all levels within the Living With Cancer Programme and the Health Inequalities team to work as multidisciplinary partners, with each other and with people with lived experience and to settle for nothing less than the best possible health and care for the people of Lincolnshire built around what matters to people.