Case Studies: Co-Production That Changed Services

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📘 Blog 6 of 7 in our Co-Production & Engagement Series
Case Studies: Co-Production That Changed Services

Links to all 7 blogs in this series are at the bottom of this post.

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💡 Why Case Studies Matter

For commissioners and inspectors, co-production isn’t proven by policy statements — it’s demonstrated by real examples of change. Case studies show how involving people has reshaped services and led to measurable outcomes. They provide the “so what” evidence that tender evaluators and CQC inspectors expect.

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📖 Case Study 1 — Domiciliary Care

Challenge: Service users reported dissatisfaction with call punctuality and rushed visits.

Co-Production: Families and people supported joined a working group with managers and frontline staff. Together they co-designed a new scheduling system, prioritising flexibility and continuity of carers.

Outcome: Punctuality improved by 30% and staff satisfaction rose. Commissioners praised the provider’s “robust co-production mechanisms” in a subsequent domiciliary care tender.

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📖 Case Study 2 — Learning Disability Supported Living

Challenge: People supported said house meetings felt tokenistic and dominated by staff.

Co-Production: With advocacy support, people set their own meeting agendas. Visual tools and communication aids ensured everyone could contribute.

Outcome: Residents shaped recruitment of new staff, introducing peer-interview panels. In a later learning disability tender, this was presented as evidence of lived-experience-led practice.

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📖 Case Study 3 — Home Care Services

Challenge: Service users from minority ethnic groups felt cultural needs were overlooked.

Co-Production: Faith leaders and community representatives were invited to co-design care plans, training, and recruitment approaches.

Outcome: The provider developed culturally tailored services, including diet-specific meal support. This became a key strength in a home care submission and was praised in CQC feedback.

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🔑 Lessons for Providers

• Show the process — who was involved, how, and what tools supported engagement.
• Show the change — what specifically was different afterwards.
• Show the impact — use metrics (punctuality, satisfaction, retention, quality ratings).

Commissioners reward detail and outcomes, not vague statements. This is why case studies are powerful in tender reviews and method statements.

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🧰 Getting Tender-Ready

1. Collect 3–5 strong co-production examples across service areas.
2. Write them using a simple challenge ➜ action ➜ outcome format.
3. Link examples to outcomes commissioners value (safety, continuity, dignity, resilience).
4. Embed them in strategies and bid strategy training.
5. Polish them with independent proofreading for clarity and impact.

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📚 Catch up on the full Co-Production & Engagement Series:

1. 📘 Why Co-Production Matters in Social Care
2. 🧭 Principles of Co-Production: From Tokenism to True Partnership
3. 👥 Involving Families and Carers in Service Design
4. 🏛️ Co-Production in Governance and Quality Assurance
5. 🌍 Building Engagement Pathways for Under-Represented Voices
6. 💡 Case Studies: Co-Production That Changed Services
7. 📄 Evidencing Co-Production in Tenders and Inspections

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