All inspections: Phoenix Futures Wirral Residential Service

The date of assessment was 21 to 22 January 2026.

Phoenix Futures Wirral Residential Service is a residential substance misuse service. This service is part of a charitable and a not‑for‑profit housing association. The service provides up to 35 places for people, known as community members, to live while they recover from drug or alcohol problems in a therapeutic community. A therapeutic community is designed to encourage the development of life and social skills through daily work, activities, routines and therapeutic groups. Structured groups include cognitive behavioural therapy. The service offered a drug‑ and alcohol‑free setting that focuses mainly on rehabilitation, although it can offer some limited detoxification support. The treatment is medically monitored, meaning healthcare professionals oversee the process, but it is less clinical and more focused on therapy than a fully medically managed service.

Community members stay in a large house in a suburban area of the Wirral, near Liverpool. A team of drug and alcohol recovery workers and volunteers help them through one‑to‑one sessions, group sessions, and alternative therapies.

When community members first arrive, they spend a few weeks in a separate stage of the service called the ‘welcome house’ to help them settle in. After that, they move into the main house for the rest of the programme, which lasts between three and six months.

Community members help run the house each day and support each other. Community members are involved in the domestic, catering and maintenance activities of the building and complete appropriate training to undertake these activities. More experienced residents act as “buddies” for newcomers.

When someone finishes the programme, staff help them move into supported housing or into their own accommodation. Most recovery workers and the management team have graduated through the programme and are employed at the service.

During this assessment we reviewed community members care and treatment records, carried out a tour of the environment and spoke to ten members of staff, including the registered manager, service and operations managers.

Community members’ capacity to understand the rules and boundaries of the therapeutic community was discussed with people prior to admission, so they could understand the treatment model and consent to participating in it. People could access the service through self-referral, their GP or commissioners.

We assessed Phoenix Futures Wirral Residential Service on 21 and 22 January 2026.

We assessed the service in January 2019, when it was rated as good

Phoenix Futures Wirral Residential Service was registered with CQC in December 2012 to deliver the regulated activity of: accommodation for persons who require treatment for substance misuse. The service had a registered manager, who had been in post since March 2023.

At this assessment we assessed 1 assessment service group: residential substance misuse service.

We rated the service as outstanding. We found no breaches of regulation.

We rated Phoenix Futures Wirral Residential Service as good because:

The service had up to date health and safety assessments. the environment was clean, comfortable and well maintained. We saw staff adhering to infection control principles, with hand-gel dispensers being used around the building and stringent hygiene checks in the kitchens.
Staffing were trained and there were sufficient numbers that met the needs of service users.
Risk assessments were comprehensive and up to date. There were plans in place for patients who decided to leave the programme before its completion. Staff administered and managed medication effectively. All staff knew how to report incidents, and understood the duty of candour.
Care records were comprehensive, holistic, and completed in a timely manner. All relevant information pertaining to the patient and the treatment programme was outlined in the records, and included input from the patient. The service was following best practice and national guidance with relation to treatment. Care records were up to date and had been amended according to events involving the patient. All staff had completed mandatory training, were up to date, and records were maintained in personnel files. Multi-disciplinary team approach was evident, with input from care managers external to the service. Staff were trained in the Mental Capacity Act.
We saw good interaction between staff and patients at the service, with respect being shown to all parties. Patients felt comfortable with staff at the service, and felt they could talk to them as several staff members were former patients in the treatment programme. Patients told us they felt supported and safe at the service. Care records showed that patients could understand and knew what treatment they were getting and why. We saw evidence of family involvement, and a new family visiting room had been built onto the main building. Patient forums and survey results indicated that patients were very happy with the service.
The referral and assessment process for the service was comprehensive. Patients who entered the service and found that the treatment was not suitable were transferred to other services using pathways in place. Discharge planning started on admission to the service, with plans in place for possible early leaving of the programme. Patients were encouraged to contact families and try to integrate them into their treatment programme. There were employment and education opportunities for patients at the service, with a good success rate. Several staff at the service were former patients, and had gone on to attain good qualifications in health and social services. Equality and diversity was stressed at the service. There had been only one formal complaint in the 12-month period prior to the inspection, and 15 formal compliments had been received in the same period.
Managers at the service provided key leadership, with the skills, knowledge and experience required. There was a clear definition of recovery within the model followed at the service, and staff were aware of it. Staff could input into the organisational strategy for the service. Staff said they felt valued and supported, they were happy working in the service. Staff appraisals indicated career development and consideration of training courses that might be helpful. Leadership training was available to all staff at the service. Key performance indicators were used to identify and promote good practice, and to identify aspects that required action. Staff were recognised at an annual awards ceremony.

We do not currently rate independent stand alone substance misuse services.

We found the following areas of good practice:

Clients were very positive about their care and treatment and commended the skill and enthusiasm of the staff who worked there. Carers described being fully involved in care and treatment and that they were also well supported by staff.
Care plans and risk management plans were detailed and personalised. All clients had regular reviews. They also had access to regular physical health reviews.
The service provided evidence based interventions and monitored outcomes and improvements in clients’ recovery. Staff received regular supervision and had access to a range of training to support them in their work.
Clients had access to a wide variety of activities. It was rare for these to be cancelled due to staff shortages.
There was good team working, both within the service, and with the external providers who supplemented the treatment and interventions.
Assessments, care plans and risk management plans were comprehensive and person centred.
The building was clean and well looked after and there were good health and safety systems in place for keeping clients, staff and visitors safe.
There were good governance arrangements in place. Staff felt that senior managers had a good knowledge of the service and day to day issues.

A single inspector carried out this inspection. The focus of the inspection was to answer five key questions: Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service well-led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service, their relatives and the staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at. If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary, please read the full report.

This is a summary of what we found:'

Is the service safe?

People who used the service told us they felt safe at the home. We saw people were safeguarded from financial abuse. We saw staff were aware of the whistle blowing process should they have any concerns.

We saw the home had sufficient levels of staffing to ensure peoples safety and welfare.

Is the service effective?

People living at Phoenix Futures told us staff support them in gaining lifelong skills in a structured environment. One person told us they had learnt to cook and really appreciated how caring the staff were. One person commented that the programme had "Saved my life". We saw the service as being effective in helping people regain social skills and overcome addiction. People were very positive about the quality of care and treatment they received at the service. We saw that people's progress though their programme was monitored and people were given support in a wide range of areas

Is the service caring?

We were told by people that they had positive relationships with their key workers. The five people we spoke with who used the service all told us they were very happy with the support and treatment provided. They said their key workers and the support workers listened to them and worked with them to address their emotional well-being.

Is the service responsive?

We saw views and suggestions of staff and people living a Phoneix Furtures were taken onboard and acted upon. We saw the provider sent out annual feedback questionnaires to people who used the service. Most of the comments contained positive feedback. We saw people commented that they were happy with the level of care and that the people in the home had enough activities. We saw the past year people requested an Xbox games station, more exercise equipment and internet access. We saw all of this had been implemented.

We saw the provider conducted weekly meetings with staff. This reviewed people's progress and the activities for the following week. We saw and were told this was an open discussion with staff to put forward any suggestions.

Is the service well-led?

We asked people who lived at the home and staff about the manager and their ability to deal with concerns. They all felt the manager dealt with any issues very promptly and everyone we spoke with gave positive comments about their management style and personality for example, 'She is very approachable', 'Very nice and kind' and 'Good manager'.'

We saw the provider conducted audits and reviewed the service to ensure it was safe. We looked at the accident and incidents book. We saw falls records which included assessments by staff to ensure the person's safety was assured and any injury assessed. We saw falls were regularly reviewed and any patterns were detected. '

The service provided detailed information to people about the programme provided and the behaviours and conduct expected of them during their stay. People spoken with told us they were offered a 'tour and talk' visit prior to making a decision to accept a place at the service. These visits were led by other people who were already part of the rehabilitation programme community. One person made the following comment:

'I came on the tour and talk visit and was shown around by another service user who was half way through their rehab stay. That clinched it for me I saw how well they were and how positive they were about the place and their future and I knew it was the right place for me.'

We spoke with five people who told us they were very happy with the support provided. They said their key workers and the support workers listened to them and worked with them to address their addiction issues.

Medication records showed audits of stock took place regularly and overall we were able to reconcile records with the amounts of medication left.

Documentation showed there were clear recruitment and selection procedures in place for the HR department and managers to follow.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided. Records showed and discussions with people who used the service confirmed they were involved in the planning of their support including identifying risks to their health and welfare and the review process.

We spoke with nine people who used the service. They all told us they had been given detailed information about the type of service that was offered at Phoenix Futures. Four people said they had been able to take part in a virtual rehab experience presented by people who were already using the service. Some comments made were;

'The information given by Phoenix futures is really good I also visited and spoke to people in the community. This really helped me make the decision that this was the rehab for me.'

'You get the written guide which details all the information you need.'

'We are fully involved in the drawing up of our support plans and risk assessments, because it is us who have to do the work to make positive changes in our lives.'

We sought information from Wirral Community NHS Trust who confirmed they had no issues of concern about how the services supported people in their care.

People who used the service told us they were very happy with the support provided. They said the care workers and their key workers listened to them and worked with them to address their issues. They also told us they felt safe at the service and would feel confident raising any concerns or complaints with any member of the staff team. Some comments made were;

'This place has made me feel I have a future this is a new feeling for me and I really like it.'

'The structure of the program works for me and I feel really supported by all the staff here especially my key worker.'

'This place has saved my life.'

'Every member of staff here treats me with respect and kindness.'

'I feel safer here than I have anywhere else I have ever lived'.

'The manager is great so supportive and responds to anything you raise with her.'

Phoenix Futures Wirral Residential Service

All Inspections

During an assessment of Substance misuse services

During an assessment of the hospital overall

22 January 2019

During a routine inspection

8 August 2016

During a routine inspection

31 July 2014

During a routine inspection

2, 9 January 2014

During a routine inspection

9 August 2012

During a routine inspection