Managers’ and clinical leads' perspectives of a co-production model for community mental health service improvement in the NHS : a case study

Bamber, HM

Abstract

This study evaluated a co-production model used in a National Health Service (NHS) Trust, in England which was introduced due to increased workloads and reduced resources. Through reviewing drivers/challenges and determining staff knowledge, skills, and attitudes a greater understanding of co-production’s implications for practice was achieved. Aim and Objectives - This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of a co-production model within an NHS Trust in a community mental health setting. The research sought to determine and define what co-production was and which model was used within the Trust; to identify how core characteristics of co-production were implemented within the Trust; to gain an understanding of clinical leads and managers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards co-production and how this affected implementation; to offer recommendations to the Trust and the wider research community to enhance co-production in practice. Methods – A thematic analysis of literature gaps and a descriptive case study illustrated participants’ co-production experiences. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior managers (n = 3), middle managers (n = 5), and clinical leads (n = 5). Service users were not included in the sample to reflect the design of the model adopted by the Trust. Verification interviews supported the credibility of emerging underlying thematically analysed themes. Findings – The following five themes emerged: corporate machine, continual revolution, power, interface, and attitudes to co-production. The analysis found that organisational culture impeded co-production, with significant knowledge gaps present which hindered effective co-production. However, participants believed that co-production supports service delivery. Conclusion/Recommendations – This case study provided evidence that redistributing power and allowing individual’s ownership of the model would improve co-production’s success in practice. Additionally, including service users in the model design is critical to engagement in co-production. The formulation of a working definition afforded organisations some clarity to communicate their co-production vision.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Award Date: Sep 30, 2020