Co-Production Definition

Co-production is a term used in a variety of fields, including sociology, economics, political science, public administration, and health care. In general, it refers to a process whereby two or more parties work together to produce something of value.

In the field of health care, co-production has been defined as “a way of working with service users and carers which recognises their contribution to the design and delivery of services as well as the outcomes achieved” (Bristol et al., 2006). This definition highlights the important role that service users and carers play in co-producing health care services. It also recognises that co-production is about more than just producing services; it is also about achieving positive outcomes for service users and carers.

The concept of co-production has its roots in the ideas of social entrepreneur Dame Mary Douglas. In her book Resources for Social Change: A Handbook, Douglas (1975) proposed that resources should be seen as something that is created by people working together, rather than something that is simply allocated by governments or other institutions. This idea was later taken up by John McKnight and John Kania in their book The Careless Society: Community and Its Counterfeits (1995). McKnight and Kania argued that the traditional model of social service provision, which relies on government funding and professional expertise, is no longer fit for purpose. They proposed an alternative model based on the principles of co-production