Co-Production Success in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

A recent milestone in our Lived Experience Engagement Programme has demonstrated the impact of true co-production and the value of involving people with lived experience at every stage.

Last month, our Connections team delivered an all-day co-production workshop to support the development of a new community model for people with learning disabilities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. 

The event brought together professionals from health, social care, education, and the voluntary sector, alongside individuals with lived experience, to shape an inclusive, person-centred support model.

The workshop was part of the region’s Long Term Improvement Programme, and a key step towards improving outcomes, strengthening access, and building more inclusive services for adults with learning disabilities, including those in transition to adulthood.

Our team worked with partners, such as Peterborough City College, to design the event so it would be accessible to people with lived experience. This included changing the original venue, adapting the agenda, and ensuring appropriate support was in place for everyone to contribute meaningfully.

Madeleine Coddington, Head of Service for Children and Adult Learning Disability and Autism, at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICS said:

Madeleine went on to describe the VoiceAbility team’s role as ​“above and beyond” and thanked the whole group for their leadership and support.

This work sits within our broader Speak Out Cambridgeshire and Speak Out Peterborough contract, which enables people with learning disabilities and autistic people aged 14+ to engage in consultation and co-production to shape services and influence change.

We’ve also funded additional work under a £12,000 enhancement proposal from the Integrated Care Board to further expand the reach of this programme. This includes improving digital inclusion, supporting people through transitions into adulthood, and helping to build stronger relationships between service users and professionals.

These developments are all designed to embed co-production more deeply across the system and promote inclusive, high-quality services that are shaped by the people who use them.

This recent workshop is a great example of what can be achieved when system partners work collaboratively with people with lived experience, not just as attendees, but as central contributors and co-designers.