UK - This is what it looks like when lived experience gets a seat at the table — not as a token gesture, but as a struc…

UK - This is what it looks like when lived experience gets a seat at the table — not as a token gesture, but as a structural requirement. The UK government just confirmed a new National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to overhaul NHS maternity care. Chaired by the Health Secretary himself. And who's in the room? Family representatives. Not just listed at the bottom. Actively chairing expert reference groups. Shaping the terms. Holding the agenda. Helen Gittos, one of those family representatives, said it plainly: "I hope the professional bodies will come together to bravely, boldly and decisively take the decisions that will create services that women can trust." That's not grateful participation. That's accountability language. £25 million is being invested in tackling maternal death causes, bereavement facilities, and triage services. Real money, real urgency. But the structural shift matters more than the budget line. When people with lived experience don't just advise — but lead, chair, and co-govern — the questions change. The blind spots shrink. The system starts building trust instead of just managing risk. We're watching this closely at Experience Hub. Because what's true in maternity care is true across the entire care and social services sector. Lived experience isn't a supplement to expertise. It is expertise.