CASE STUDY

Adult Social Care APPG

How PLMR Healthcomms and the Adult Social Care APPG Prioritised Lived Experience to Drive Meaningful Change

Client

Adult Social Care APPG

Sector

Services provided

The Situation

Despite the Adult Social Care APPG being one of the most influential All-Party Parliamentary Groups since its inception in 2019, its engagement with people with lived experience of care and support risked falling into tokenism. Without meaningful co-production, the APPG faced limitations in authentically representing the voices of those it aimed to serve and influencing policy effectively.

What we did

Conducting a Strategic Review:
In Autumn 2022, we led an internal review to challenge tokenistic practices and embed co-production as a core principle in the APPG’s operations.

Creating the Lived Experience Advisory Group:
We established a diverse advisory group consisting of 12 members representing a range of physical and learning disabilities, spanning various age groups and lived experiences.

Shaping APPG Priorities:
The advisory group became integral to the APPG’s work, ensuring that lived experience informed decisions, activities, and advocacy efforts. Members provided critical insights that reshaped the group’s approach to adult social care policy discussions.

Promoting Representation and Advocacy:
Advisory group members actively participated in political and national conferences, amplifying their voices and perspectives on key issues.

The Result

Strengthened APPG Operations:
Co-production is now a central operating principle of the Adult Social Care APPG, setting a new standard for authentic engagement with individuals who rely on care and support.

National Advocacy Success:
The Lived Experience Advisory Group played a pivotal role in the My Vote My Voice campaign, which successfully advocated for all three major political parties to publish Easy Read versions of their manifestos for the 2024 General Election.

Elevated Impact:
The group has not only influenced APPG activities but also contributed to shaping the wider political and policy landscape, ensuring that the voices of those with lived experience are heard and acted upon.

By embedding co-production, the Adult Social Care APPG has strengthened its influence and reaffirmed its commitment to meaningful, representative engagement in policymaking.

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