Learning from lived and living experience: building a future ready workforce

Published 12/02/2026

More than 300 Allied Health Profession (AHP) students took part in an interprofessional learning workshop at Wrexham University, focused on the value of lived and living experience in healthcare. The workshop explored why co‑production and mental health awareness are essential skills for Wales’ future workforce.

The workshop was delivered by the Lived and Living Experience Team and the AHP Practice Education Team at Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) together with Cardiff and Vale Recovery and Wellbeing College. By bringing together lived experience and professional expertise, the session created a supportive space for students to learn from one another and reflect on what compassionate, relationship-centred care looks like in practice.

A key feature of the session was a Most Significant Change (MSC) panel activity, a participatory evaluation approach used in parts of the NHS and social care. Two attendees from Cardiff and Vale Recovery and Wellbeing College shared their mental health recovery stories, encouraging students to consider how lived experience can shape services, influence decision‑making and drive meaningful change.

The workshop supported students to reflect on their future professional practice and highlighted opportunities to further embed co‑production and lived and living experience within healthcare education across Wales, including in interprofessional learning and practice placement settings.

Students shared a range of reflections:

• “It's important to understand individuals’ lived experience to be a better health professional.”
• “I think it's helped show me how vital mental health is and the value of signposting to support if and when needed. It highlighted how past experiences reflect the person you are and how you can use your experience to give better care to your patients.”
• “To hear you speaking of neurodivergent people being an asset is refreshing, both personally and professionally.”
• “The importance of narrative and collaboration with service users, when it comes to goal setting and relating this to my future practice.”
• “The use of empathetic approaches and relationship-centred care.”
• “The spectrum of co-production and the importance of hope.”

Participants also took part in further sessions facilitated by Wrexham university on mental health conversations and personal wellbeing, helping them build confidence and practical skills to support others.

HEIW is currently working with NHS Performance and Improvement (NHS P&I) on shaping the lived and living experience peer support offer for Wales. Read the latest article on the progress of this work and visit the HEIW website for more information on the wider work on the Strategic Mental Health Workforce Plan for Health and Social Care.