For too long, the design of care homes and supported living facilities has been a top-down approach, with decisions made by providers and planners without meaningful input from the very people who will call these places home.
This disconnect has resulted in environments that, while well-intentioned, often fail to fully meet the diverse needs and aspirations of residents.
At Capability Scotland, we are leading a profound shift in how care facilities are conceived and created.
Through an ethos of co-production, we are harnessing the collective expertise, experiences, and aspirations of all stakeholders: the people we support, their families, our dedicated staff, and trusted project partners; and our pioneering new Bertha Park development in Perth, the Our Inclusive Community Project (OICP), exemplifies this transformative approach.
From our co-production activities, we received over 1500 comments from current and prospective residents, family members, and Capability Scotland team members, providing vital feedback through an extensive co-production process.
This isn't just about building new facilities; it is about crafting genuine homes that foster independence, dignity, and an uncompromising quality of life for every individual. Through the process, several residents expressed a desire to physically experience the spaces they would inhabit.
In response, we constructed a full-size mock-up flat complete with assistive technologies and specialised equipment. This enabled key stakeholders to share candid perspectives that directly shaped the design.
One of these key stakeholders we collaborated closely with was Alan, a resident at our current facility at Upper Springland in Perth who uses the NuPoint head pointing system which has optical sensors to track movements to control a pointer on the screen to communicate. His insights have helped us understand how innovative technologies could restore independence.
Naomi Smith, our Co-production Lead based at Upper Springland, ensures information is presented and gathered in various formats, adapted to suit individual communication methods and varying levels of understanding giving opportunity for the voices of all the people we support to be heard and involved. This feedback is shared regularly with the design team to help influence and shape the design for OICP.
Our staff's frontline care experience proved invaluable in optimising layouts, enabling them to provide the highest standards of support. Through interactive workshops, we overcame pandemic-related engagement obstacles and staffing challenges to ensure all voices were heard.
Looking ahead, co-production at Capability Scotland will continue to evolve, and we feel that this approach can be developed throughout the country as a way supporting those at the heart of the care sector.
This revolutionary approach doesn't just transform facilities; it sets a new benchmark for meaningful collaboration and person-centred excellence across the care sector. The power of co-production lies in uniting diverse perspectives to create environments that authentically reflect the needs of every individual we serve.
For Capability Scotland, co-production is more than a methodology – it's a guiding principle driving innovation, inclusivity and an inspiring vision to transform lives.
Brian Logan is the Chief Executive at Capability Scotland, a leading provider of services for disabled people and their families across Scotland
Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk
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