Philosophical issues in the co-production of health

Overview

Current developments within healthcare systems, such as self-management and shared decision making, illustrate the changing role of patients from passive recipients of health services to active partners and co-producers of their own health.

The co-production (or co-creation) of health is widely acknowledged as a ‘good thing’ in current healthcare discourse and this is demonstrated in the Health and Social Care Bill which has an overarching principle for patient choice and control as "no decisions about me without me".

Co-producing health assumes, however, that individuals are equipped to do this effectively. By reviewing the concept of co-production in the light of contemporary philosophical insights the association between the co-creation of health and healthcare quality can be strengthened through a richer and more robust understanding.

What we’re doing

We have commissioned the University of Dundee and King’s College London to review and apply current thinking in philosophy, particularly theories around ‘relational’ and ‘capabilities’ approaches, to healthcare, with a view to unpack, refresh and strengthen the conceptualisation of co-producing health.

Why we’re doing it

To be able to deliver on our strategic priority to inspire improvement through changing relationships between people and health services it is vital that we have a deep understanding of how changing relationships and the co-production of health works to improve quality of care. The findings from this research will help us to design and develop more effective improvement programmes for this strategic priority area.

How we’re doing it

The research involves a series of iterations between desk-based research activity and interactive knowledge exchange events with Health Foundation staff, collaborators, and key audience representatives. Because there is not a one-to-one mapping of key insights from philosophy onto key ideas relating to healthcare quality, the approach will work on and between:

• Analyses of current conceptualisations relating to the co-production of health by drawing on academic literature, and discussions with key stakeholders;
• Summaries of selected key insights from contemporary philosophy concentrating on relational understandings of persons and the capabilities approach to be used in knowledge exchange discussion events; and
• Refreshing or re-visioning the concept of co-producing health by examining how insights from the philosophical literature can inform a critique and shift conceptualisations and theories of the co-production of health.

When will the findings be available?

Autumn 2012

For further information please contact:

Darshan Patel, Research and Development Manager