Our vision for involvement

As an Integrated Care System, we believe in working together with the people of Coventry and Warwickshire. We aim to build honest, open, and positive relationships with each other and the community.

We know that making health care services suitable for local, diverse communities can reduce inequality. To achieve this, we need to listen to and include the voices and experiences of these communities in our decision-making, service design, and delivery. We must prioritize people in everything we do because better outcomes result from designing services together.

While saying we put people first is easy, actually doing it is challenging. It requires innovation, courage, and a cultural shift within all our organisations, involving everyone from senior leaders to frontline staff. We need a shared understanding of what good involvement looks like and must equip staff, stakeholders, and the local population with the skills to participate and lead change.

Having the right structures to support involvement isn’t enough. We need to build trust with local communities, especially those who have felt ignored or marginalised. We must create an environment where people can share their experiences and needs with us at any time, not just when we ask.

When we gather insights, we should share this knowledge among partners so people only have to tell their story once, reducing the burden on some communities. We need to show the positive impact of community involvement, demonstrating its value to both the community and staff.

When we do this well, we will tap into the local expertise of residents to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes for all. We will build trust so people feel comfortable sharing their experiences and telling us what is working and what needs improvement. When people feel involved and listened to, they will not only use our improved services but also feel empowered to take control of their own health and wellbeing. Ultimately, this will help people across Coventry and Warwickshire to start well, live well, and age well, no matter their background or circumstances.