Abstract

Background
Co-production in research entails researchers, practitioners and the public working together on a project, sharing decision making, responsibility and ownership of a project and its outcomes. This paper reflects on the process of university researchers and researchers with learning disabilities working together on an inclusive research project about supporting people with learning disabilities to make decisions about mental health medication.

Method
This paper explores the inclusive approach taken to design and conduct interviews.

Findings
Researchers with learning disabilities brought a unique perspective to the project due to their lived experience, which resulted in benefits for the whole research team as well as research participants. Interview materials were relevant and accessible and there was often common ground, increased trust and a strong rapport with interview participants with learning disabilities. The co-interviewing approach with health professionals appeared to increase reflection on working practices.

Conclusions
Co-interviewing can be a more inclusive, equitable interview approach, leading to more relevant, meaningful and impactful research outcomes.

Summary

Co-production is when researchers with and without learning disabilities work together on a project.

This project was about supporting people with learning disabilities when making decisions about mental health medication. This paper looks at what it was like when researchers with and without learning disabilities carried out interviews.

Interviewers with learning disabilities helped participants with learning disabilities to feel at ease. Interviewers with learning disabilities made sure that interview materials could be understood by everyone.

Interviewers with learning disabilities helped health professionals to think about how they shared mental health medication information with people with learning disabilities.

Involving people with learning disabilities as interviewers values people with learning disabilities and helps improve the research.