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Celebrating the power of partnership

Join us for our second Co-production Conference, which showcases and celebrates the valuable contribution that people with experience of using health services make to shape the care we deliver.

Our Co-Production Champions Network and Patient Experience Team are hosting the event at Saxon Hall, Aviation Way, Southend on Thursday 10 October from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

We will have speakers talking about co-production projects at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and the impact on patient care and experiences.

We will also have a number of guest speakers who are due to attend, including:

  • Julie Jaye Charles CBE – Julie has spent 35 years working to improve the wellbeing, social inclusion and representation of deprived and socially excluded black and minority ethnic She founded and led the Equalities National Council and has advised government ministers on policies regarding health, social care, and mental health issues and their effects on black and minority ethnic communities. Julie is the lead in Co-Production and Advocacy and NHS Chair of Strategic Patient and Carer Experience at North East London NHS Foundation Trust.

  • Andy Bell – Andy is the Chief Executive of the Centre for Mental Health and has worked in the voluntary sector for more than 25 years. He was the driving force of the Commission for Equality in Mental Health, which was set up to explore inequalities in mental health, and is at the forefront of Equally Well UK, a collaborative to support the physical health of people with a mental illness.

  • Kathy Roberts – Kathy is Chief Executive of the Association of Mental Health Providers and has more than 40 years’ experience in NHS, local authority and third sector leadership roles at a strategic level. She champions co-production, whole-person and whole-system approaches to the design, development and delivery of services, across health, social care and wider community.
    Kathy has held key positions on several national boards and groups, including chairing the Governance Group overseeing the Department for Health and Social Care Mental Health Emergency Covid funding of £5million for the voluntary, community and social enterprise provider sector.


There will be creative activities, a marketplace for partner organisations to set up stalls to share information about their services, and a Camerados Public Living Room for people to take a break or have a chat. Lunch will be provided for guests.

We will also be presenting our first EPUT Lived Experience Ambassadors Awards, to recognise the dedication and commitment of our lived experience ambassadors who go above and beyond to make a difference at the Trust.

Mark Dale, Lived Experience Lead for Co-production and Participation, said: “The conference is a celebration of the power of partnership and co-production, and we hope will be just as inspirational as our first event last year.

“We have some fantastic examples at EPUT of how involving people with lived experience in designing and shaping our services is having a positive impact.

“These include partnerships between clinical teams and service user networks, our Patient Safety Partners, our growing Inpatient Peer Support Team, and our lived experience team ambassadors.

“As a Trust, we are looking to expand opportunities so that co-production is the norm across all our services.

“This year’s conference is an opportunity to reflect on our progress so far, and for everyone who attends to share ideas and inspiration for how we can work together and in our organisations and communities to champion true co-production.”

The event is open to:

  • EPUT staff, volunteers and lived experience ambassadors
  • People with lived experience and members of the public who would like to know more about our co-production projects and opportunities.
  • Partner organisations from across health, social care, and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.

Entry and parking is free but you must register a place at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/copro

Dress code is comfy not corporate.

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