PULSE is our ongoing survey, always open, so you can tell us honestly what’s working and what isn’t, whenever you want to. Each month, we sit down and go through everything that’s come in. In June 2026, that was 51 responses, our biggest response of the year. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share something this detailed and honest.
How you’re finding the service
Of the 51 people who responded, 38 (74.5%) said yes, they’re satisfied with the service. 5 (9.8%) said maybe, and 8 (15.7%) said no. That’s still a strong majority saying the service is working for them, but it’s the highest proportion of no responses we’ve recorded this year, and there’s a clear pattern running through them that we want to be upfront about.
What you value most
Staff support and approachability was, by a distance, the strongest theme this month. Many of you described relationships with individual keyworkers that have built up over years, and staff who go well beyond what’s expected:
“The staff are friendly, really easy to talk to about my drug problem without me getting all embarrassed… The keyworker I’ve had for years is so super nice, friendly, polite and caring and goes out her way to check on me even when it’s not an appointment day.”
“I finally have a good keyworker who hasn’t dropped me after a year of opening up to them.”
Feeling accepted and understood as an individual, rather than processed through a generic system, came through strongly too:
“It is personality, tailored, non judgemental and understanding.”
Being able to reach support without it feeling intrusive was valued by several of you:
“Always at the end of phone in between appointments.”
“It doesn’t impose on my day to day activities, but I know people are there if needed.”
And for a small number of you, the impact went further than that. One comment simply read: “They saved my life.”
Where we need to do better
This was our biggest response of the year, and it gave us the clearest picture yet of where things are going wrong for some of you. A few of the patterns echo what we heard in July, but this month they came through in more detail.
Keyworker contact, consistency and continuity was the commented on.
Communication about detox and treatment pathways also caused real frustration for at least one of you, who was registered for community detox without being told they’d first need reassessment.
Gaps in what the service covers came up too. Others asked for more support to help single parents access what’s on offer, and extra support for people who don’t finish the Academy community rehab programme.
Waiting times were raised again.
Finally, one long-standing respondent, supported for over 32 years, made a detailed and genuinely moving case for better pay and conditions for keyworkers and nursing staff. They linked high staff turnover directly to a decline in the group activities that had once helped with their depression, and asked that staff be given more reason to stay in the role. It’s a comment worth reading in full, and one we’re sharing with the wider team.
Who took part
51 responses is our biggest month yet. 27 identified as male and 21 as female, with a small number preferring not to say. The largest age groups were 45 to 54 (15 people) and 55 to 64 (13 people). 40 of you told us you have a disability, most commonly affecting both physical and mental health. 23 people were in their first 6 months of treatment, and 18 had been with us for 2 years or more. Drug use (22) and alcohol use (21) were the most common reasons for accessing support, with heroin and prescription medications the most frequently named substances.
What we’re doing about it
- Strengthening keyworker continuity and contact. Reviewing cases where contact has lapsed for a long time, and making sure any treatment plan discussed at an appointment, like a medication change, is properly followed up rather than left open.
- Improving appointment and administrative reliability. Reviewing how venue closures are communicated and making sure the helpline calls people back, and checking how keyworkers and areas are assigned to reduce delays.
- Improving communication about treatment pathways. Making sure people understand eligibility and reassessment requirements before being registered for community detox, and giving clearer timetable updates.
- Closing gaps in service scope. Clarifying referral routes for people whose concerns fall outside drugs and alcohol, exploring support for single parents, and looking at additional support for people who don’t complete the Academy programme.
- Reducing waiting times. Continuing to escalate detox waiting times through the right channels, and reviewing capacity for initial and nurse appointments.
- Sharing the staff pay and retention feedback. Passing this comment directly to senior management and the wider team, given how clearly it links staff conditions to the quality and continuity of support people receive.
Thank you
PULSE only works because you’re honest with us, about what’s helping and what isn’t. This month’s record response gave us the richest, most detailed picture yet, real warmth towards individual keyworkers sitting alongside real, specific frustration where contact and consistency broke down. Both matter, and both are shaping what we do next.
PULSE is open all the time, so if you have more to say, you don’t need to wait for the next survey window. Speak to your keyworker, or any member of the team at Wirral Ways.
Last Updated on 16 September 2026