By Raf Hamaizia, Cygnet Expert by Experience Lead
The inaugural Cygnet Co-Production in Commissioning Conference will be held at The Holte Suite, Aston Villa Football Club, and I’m incredibly proud to be part of it.
This event is more than just a conference. It’s a call to action.
Why Co-production Matters
As an Expert by Experience myself having spent time as an inpatient, I’ve seen first-hand the power of Co-production.
Co-production is a way of working that brings together professionals and people with lived experience to co-design and co-deliver services as equal partners from the outset. It’s more than collaboration, it’s a re-imagining of who holds the knowledge and how decisions are made.
In health and social care, the person experiencing care, and their family, often know more about their needs than anyone else. Co-production values this insight not as anecdotal, but as expertise. When people with lived experience are involved in shaping services, from policy design to frontline delivery, their voices ensure support is meaningful and truly person centred.
Traditional systems can feel disempowering and the power dynamic can breed mistrust, especially for those who’ve felt unheard by services in the past. Co-production breaks down these hierarchies. It says: your voice matters, your insight is vital and your skills, lived experience and beyond, can all be harnessed to add value. Ultimately, when people are part of the process from the very beginning, they are a lot more likely to not only understand it better but also, trust it.
Mental health in particular is still surrounded by stigma, especially for inpatient settings. Co-production challenges this by elevating lived experience to a place of leadership. It sends a clear message: recovery is possible, and people who live with mental health conditions are not just service users, they can also be agents of change.
For many people, contributing to Co-production is a form of recovery in itself. It helps build confidence and a sense of purpose. For some, it becomes a step toward employment, new support structures, friendships or renewed self-worth.
It must, however, go beyond tokenism. True Co-production means involving people with lived experience from the beginning in a meaningful way, not just at the end or as a ‘tick box’. It’s about breaking down hierarchies and working side-by-side with clinicians, commissioners, providers and stakeholders to co-create better, more compassionate systems of care.
People with lived experience have unique insights that professionals alone cannot provide. When they’re part of the conversations from the outset, services are more compassionate, relevant and effective. Co-production builds trust, inclusion and dignity into the care which is provided. It brings service users into the heart of the matter.
This is not just idealism, it’s practical. When we embed Co-production across our services, we provide care which is relevant, more effective, and more humane. We shift the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “How can we work together as equal partners to improve things?”
To be truly committed to Co –production we have to move away from the idea that it is optional, to understanding it is essential and that a balancing of power is required for us to move towards a more modern and compassionate paradigm shift within the sector.
What to Expect on the Day
This conference will explore the nuts and bolts of Co-production:
- What does true Co-production look like in real-world settings?
- How are Experts by Experience different from Peer Support Workers and how do both roles add value?
- What should commissioners be looking for when selecting services?
- How can Co-production catalyse real culture change in health and social care?
- How do we embed Co-production into everyday practice, not just policy?
We’ll be hearing from voices that often go unheard – from those who’ve navigated the system, from professionals who’ve embraced partnership, and from commissioners who are learning to lead differently.
A Unique Opportunity
This isn’t just a day of discussion. It’s a space to build connections, share best practice, and inspire change.
Whether you’re a commissioner, provider, or someone with lived experience, this conference offers a rare chance to come together and reimagine what better care looks like together.
At Cygnet, we believe that those closest to the challenges often hold the key to the solutions. The Co-Production in Commissioning Conference is our commitment to making that belief a reality.
If you’re a commissioner ready to put people at the heart of services, or just curious to learn what true Co-production means in action, then I invite you to join us.
Let’s change the conversation. Let’s shape the future together.
To register your interest, click the link below:
Alternatively, please email: [email protected]