Start Here: Involving service users at the idea stage
Plain English guidance for UHNM staff
Callout:
Start with the problem, not the solution.
Intro copy:
This guide has been developed following feedback from the UHNM co-production working group. It is for staff who are starting an improvement idea, service change, pathway redesign, policy update or project and want to involve service users early, before a solution has already been decided.
The aim is to help teams understand what matters most to people who use our services, so that improvement work is shaped with them rather than simply checked by them at the end.
Key message for the page:
Before asking service users what they think of a proposed solution, pause and ask:
“What is the problem we are trying to understand, and who experiences it?”
Quick checklist:
Before moving forward, check that you have:
- Started with the problem, not a finished answer
- Been clear about what service users can influence
- Involved people who are affected by the issue
- Offered different ways for people to take part
- Listened for what matters to them
- Used what you heard to shape the next step
- Fed back what changed because of their involvement
Example wording for staff:
Instead of saying:
“We have created a new process. Can you comment on it?”
Try:
“We have noticed this issue and want to understand what matters most to people before we decide what to change.”
Contact/help section:
For support with involving service users in improvement work, contact the patient experience team