Oxleas NHS: Integrating co-production into whole systems quality

Summary

Across the healthcare sector, evidence of patient involvement leading to positive outcomes is ever-growing; however, little movement seems to have been made. Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust have been working to increase involvement across all aspects of their Trust, not only in patient facing services but also within Corporate services.

Find out more from the presentation slides and poster presentation attached.

Oxleas were finalists in the 2025 Picker Experience Network Awards (PEN Awards).

Content

In 2021, Oxleas’ Quality Management Team (QMT) implemented the 'Improving Lives' internal assurance programme, which included training staff to use frameworks and tools to support the assessment of services and prepare clinical teams for CQC inspections. In 2023, the Quality team identified that feedback from patients and families was not being prioritised for collection during reviews. Following discussion with the Involvement Team and reviewing current involvement opportunities, Quality Team recognised how lived experience can improve outcomes and user satisfaction across services. They decided to develop and introduce the concept of 'Lived Experience Reviewers' into quality systems. This method was not based on principles or research but has been based on feedback and population need. This is an innovative approach to enabling those with lived experience to have a say in how their services are running.