I spend a lot of time having great conversations with staff who are interested in working with us at Care Opinion.

Often, when I talk with them about how impactful it is to start with a team that's keen and interested, a team that would embrace Care Opinion quickly, they say:

"I know exactly which team. I know who'd want to get started with this."

These conversations happen all the time. And it led us to think about something.

What if we could give some of those teams a proper chance to work with us? Not just a brief taster, but something with depth -full support, time to learn, and the space to see what's possible.

That's how our 2026 cohort programme came about. A supported nine-month opportunity for one team within each selected organisation to experience Care Opinion in full, with training, guidance and ongoing support from us throughout. The programme runs from July through to March.

Why we're doing it

Our values underpin everything we do at Care Opinion.

It's a way to support teams who already understand the value of listening to patients, but just haven't had the chance to work with us yet. We're really pleased to be able to do this, and we hope it's the start of something.

What patients and service users tell us they want is straightforward. They want to know that their experiences matter -they want to feel heard, and they want to hear back from the staff closest to delivering their care.

That's what a team subscription helps make possible.

The teams that use Care Opinion most effectively aren't defined by their size or resources. They're the teams that engage with feedback thoughtfully, take ownership of responding, and use what they learn to improve care.

Two routes in

Some teams have applied directly through our open application process. Others have been gifted a subscription, nominated by some of our most engaged subscribers who wanted to share the opportunity with organisations they felt would benefit from it.

What has struck me most throughout the process is the thoughtfulness behind every response. Applicants have considered carefully which team to put forward, who would champion the work, and where this would make the most difference. Subscribers nominating teams have thought just as carefully about neighbouring services and colleagues, and about who would value the opportunity. Organisations have been keen to champion others, and there has been a real generosity in how subscribers have wanted to pass on something they themselves have found valuable.

Where we are now

We're still in the early stages, but the response has been wonderful. We've heard from teams working across acute, mental health, community and social enterprise services, all with a shared interest in strengthening how they listen, respond and learn from feedback.

One thing we're hearing clearly is how keen teams are to take ownership of their own feedback.

Over the coming weeks, we'll be reviewing applications and shaping the final cohort. From July, the selected teams will begin their nine months with us, supported by Tracy Molloy, our Support Services Manager, and colleagues across the wider Care Opinion team.

Looking ahead

We will be sharing updates as the programme develops. I'm particularly interested in the conversations, the small changes that emerge along the way, and what each team finds along the way.

We hope this will be the first of many cohorts!

If your team would like to work with us, whether through future opportunities like this or by exploring a team or organisation-wide subscription, we'd love to hear from you. You can get in touch at subscribing@careopinion.org.uk.