This Co-production Week (30 June-4 July) is an opportunity to explore how working together can enhance and transform health and care services.
The Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS) has just updated its popular resource, A guide to co-production for researchers, services and commissioners.
Since its launch in April 2021, the guide has been downloaded almost 10,000 times, and for good reason. It’s a practical, jargon-free introduction to co-production, packed with principles, key features, implementation tips, and further reading. Whether you're a researcher, clinician, or commissioner, this guide helps you embed co-production meaningfully into your work.
Why does it matter? Because co-production ensures that change and innovation in health and care includes the voices of those most affected. As the NIHR reminds us, research should be carried out “with” or “by” members of the public—not “to,” “about,” or “for” them.
More resources to power your co-production journey
Alongside the updated guide, ARC KSS offers a suite of other helpful tools:
- Co-production: together we are better– A one-page leaflet co-produced with theme advisors, perfect for those new to the concept.
- A retrospective review of co-production case studies- A newly updated collection of real-world examples from ARC KSS implementation leads, designed to share learning and inspire your own approach.
- Assessing processes and outcomes of co-produced research– A deeper dive into the evidence behind co-production and how it enhances research and service outcomes.
Whether you're just starting out or looking to refresh your understanding, these resources offer practical, inclusive ways to make co-production part of your everyday work.
