Working in partnership with patients

ARMA logo in square form

Working with patients when planning services is important if we are to ensure that services are provided in a way that gives the maximum benefit to people with MSK conditions. This page provides information and resources about coproduction and partnership working with patients in design and delivery of MSK services.

Coproduction

Coproduction means patients and healthcare professionals improving care together. It’s not the same as involvement, engagement, participation, or consultation. It focuses on what matters locally and values networks that we build together. It shifts expectations, roles, and responsibilities.

This guide is for people living with musculoskeletal conditions who are involved in co-producing and co-designing services or who are interested in being involved in future. There is also a recording of a webinar to accompany the guide. Here you will find a film and slides about the coproduction example mentioned in the webinar. 

This blog outlines how and why NHS England/Improvement is approaching coproduction in its work on MSK service.

In September 2020, ARMA hosted a tweet chat about coproduction. Over fifty people took part and the key issues have been summarised in this article along with good examples of coproduction in action.

Top tips for coproducing restoration plans

This simple guide has been developed to help leaders to coproduce beneficial and effective, sustainable restoration plans by:

  • nurturing a culture of coproduction;
  • involving the right people in conversations, and;
  • amplifying the voices of people with lived experience.

It includes actionable ideas that leaders can use to support sustained partnership.

Patients’ experience of MSK services during lockdown

The MSK Lived Experience Group, whose members are informing the National MSK Restoration Plan, gathered information about the experience of MSK services during lockdown. The aim was to ensure that we found out what mattered to MSK patients and that this informs the MSK Restoration Plan.

We hope local/regional MSK services will undertake similar rapid reviews to inform what local/regional MSK services will look like going forward.

This report, MSK Lived Experience Themes of What Matters, summarises the findings and identifies twelve themes to help inform plans for future MSK services.