Co-production - Bryony's experience

Our expert by experience - Bryony - shares why she took part in co-production with the Scotland Lived Experience Panel and what it meant to her.

What is your experience of eating disorders? What motivated you to become an expert by experience?

I have experience of bulimia and binge eating. This eating disorder had a huge impact on my life throughout my teenage years and early 20's, I had very little energy, struggled to go out for food with friends and thought having this eating disorder would limit my life opportunities. It took me a long time to repair my relationship with food and using bulimia to cope with difficult emotions.

I wanted to become an expert by experience as I felt like people in rural areas of Scotland had very little support for eating disorders. I personally felt like my teachers were ill informed and that there was no support services that were accessible in my area. I wanted to bring a perspective to the expert by experience panel of somebody who is from a rural community and is LGBTQ+ in the hopes I could contribute to changes that would benefit everyone experiencing similar things that I experienced. It was empowering to have an opportunity to be a part of Beat's work to improve experiences for people with eating disorders which is exactly what motivated me to be part of this panel.

What does co-production mean to you?

Co-production to me is having a meaningful role within a project and everyone involved having an equal voice. Co-production is working together towards a collective goal and creating the space for everyone to contribute.

What do you enjoy about being an expert by experience?

I love the supportive environment Beat has created. Everyone in the group is so kind and respectful of each other. I also enjoy being part of a project where I can see the tangible difference our opinions and experiences are having on national resources such as the national specification and nhs inform website. It is amazing to see the finished product of our work and know this will have a positive impact on the lives of people who are seeking treatment for eating disorders in Scotland.

Could you tell us about your experience on the Scotland Lived Experience Panel?

On the lived experience panel we advised on Scotlands National Specification on Eating Disorders, this document supports both professionals providing support for people with eating disorders and people seeking support. We provided our views on how this document could better support and be accessible for people who are experiencing eating disorders and seeking guidance on their care. Beat provided the space for lived experience to be at the forefront on this documents development.

Additionally we provided our feedback on the information provided about different resources on the NHS inform website. This led to the information provided being more accessible for people seeking support and for friends and family who are supporting people with their eating disorders.

We also had the opportunity to speak with a representative of the Scottish Government's National Network for Eating Disorders and share our lived experience perspectives with them which felt very empowering to be able to share our experience with people who have the power to implement changes on a national scale.

Overall I was very excited about the opportunities I got to contribute to, the group worked amazingly together, was so collaborative, and I felt our contributions have made a real difference.

What advice would you give someone who wants to become an expert by experience?

I would say that being part of the expert by experience panel has been such a rewarding and empowering experience. That being part of this panel has not only provided great opportunities but has provided a space to be with others who truly understand your experience and come with no judgement. Beat provided excellent emotional support throughout the whole process and will be on hand if you need to talk through any difficult feelings. If you are ready to share your experience and work with others to make a difference in eating disorder support in Scotland then I would absolutely recommend becoming an expert by experience.