Why you should read this article:

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To identify that co-production is developing in health and social care services, research and higher education

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To be aware of the benefits and challenges of co-production

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To recognise that with careful design, co-production can become an essential part of leading and managing groups of people and organisations

Co-production is a process adopted in health, social care, research, policy development and higher education that aims to bring together the skills and experiences of service users and professionals. It has a range of advantages, such as enabling users of a service to have a voice and to equalise power among service users, professionals and leaders. Co-production is continually developing and is often referred to in contemporary health and social care policy. When designed well, co-production can create a variety of advantages for service users, professionals and the wider community.

This article demonstrates that co-production can be an effective framework to improve experiences for service users and healthcare staff. It is an empowering process that can happen in varying degrees and can be a key part of nurse managers’ practice. The article explores how co-production can be successfully used in a range of healthcare and higher education environments. Ideas about how nurse managers can use co-production to address diversity and inclusion in services are explored.