The Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) team from the OH BRC Preventing Multiple Morbidities (PMM) Theme, recently collaborated on a project with Care Coordinators from the Oxford Health NHS Early Intervention Service. The aim of the project was to develop a behavioural intervention targeting loneliness and substance misuse among adults at risk of psychosis.
A ‘Lunch and Learn” session with 15 Care Coordinators from the early intervention service was held last summer to discuss and learn more about their experience in providing patient support as well as their thoughts on what collaboration might look like.
Subtheme lead from OH BRC PMM and senior researcher at the University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences Megan Kirk Chang was invited to shadow several patient home visits to learn about their lived experience. Megan tells us: “One message I heard loud and clear from Care Coordinators was that a positive collaboration meant reciprocity with researchers (e.g., not just one-sided)”
Considering the project, Care Coordinators said, “it would be helpful to have a behaviour change resource to take to patients during home visits”.
The OH BRC PPM team developed the content for this resource as a leaflet in conjunction with a person with lived experience who designed the leaflet artwork.
The leaflets were professionally printed and delivered to the NHS Early Intervention Service who were thrilled with them and keen to distribute them amongst service users.
All those involved agreed that this was a good example of a co-designed output that prioritised mutual relationship building and an authentic partnership.
