Trauma-informed co-production: Collaborating and combining expertise to improve access to primary care with women with complex needs.
Helen McGeownLucy PotterTracey StoneJulie SwedeHelen Cramernull nullJeremy HorwoodMaria CarvalhoFlorrie ConnellGene FederMichelle FarrPublished in: Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy (2023)
Bridging Gaps was started by a group of women who have experienced complex trauma, including addiction, homelessness, mental health problems, sexual exploitation, domestic and sexual violence and poverty, with a general practitioner (GP) who provides healthcare to this population, alongside a support worker from the charity One25, a charity that supports some of the most marginalised women in Bristol to heal and thrive. More GPs and healthcare researchers joined the group and they have been meeting fortnightly for a period of 4 years with the aim of improving access to trauma-informed primary care. The group uses co-production principles to work together, and we aim to ensure that women who have experienced trauma are key decision-makers throughout our work together. This article is a summary of our learning, informed by discussion, observations and interviews with members of the group.