View the Qualitative Insights Repository
The Qualitative Insights Repository is online platform for partners and council teams to share and view insights gathered from Wirral residents. It hosts Health and Wellbeing evidence gathered throughout Wirral. The insights shared have been gathered by Wirral's Qualitative Insight Team and a variety of partners from across the Community, Voluntary and Faith sector.
Building on the work of Wirral's Public Health’s Qualitative Insight Team, the Qualitative Insights Repository host insights which explore the wider determinants of health here in Wirral and delve deep into the reasons behind the health inequalities experienced. The insights will support partners and council teams when making resident-focused decisions.
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Customer Experience - Qualitative Insights
This research was conducted by the Qualitative Insight Team in Public Health, Wirral Council, following a request to better understand resident and staff experiences of the corporate complaints process. The team explored how customers navigated the journey from initial enquiry to formal response, asking questions about communication, clarity, expectations and the personal impact of delays. Staff were asked about confidence, capacity, process boundaries and communication challenges. The aim was to identify barriers, highlight good practice and generate actionable learning to inform the Customer Experience Strategy and working group, and improve how complaints are handled across services.
09 Mar 2026
Insight provided by: Qualitative Insight Team, Public Health, Wirral Council
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Understanding the impact of the Evolve programme: perspectives on safety, wellbeing and opportunity in Beechwood and Ballantyne, Noctorum, and Woodchurch.
This research explores residents’ awareness, experiences and perceptions of the Evolve programme across Beechwood and Ballantyne, Noctorum, and Woodchurch. The Evolve programme is a Home Office funded initiative to tackle serious, organised crime in these three areas. It has funded a range of projects to create safer and more resilient communities. Insights were gathered through doorknocking and through engagement at community venues. In total, 181 residents shared their views on the impact of the programme, the outstanding issues within their communities and future opportunities. The findings highlight the positive impact of Evolve-funded activities on wellbeing, social connection and community resilience.
19 Feb 2026
Insight provided by: The Qualitative Insight Team on behalf of Wirral Council’s Neighbourhood Community Safety Team.
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Residents’ and professionals’ experiences of accessing, navigating, and relying on the Household Support Fund in Wirral.
This qualitative research explored how residents and professionals experience the Household Support Fund (HSF) in Wirral. Insights highlight complex reasons for seeking support, including financial hardship, mental health challenges, ageing, physical health issues, and institutional barriers such as immigration status. Residents reported significant barriers including stigma, digital exclusion, language, cultural differences, and delays in accessing help. Communication was found to rely heavily on word of mouth. Professionals described increasing demand, uncertainties about ongoing funding, and challenges supporting people in crisis. The findings provide a detailed picture of residents’ reliance on HSF and the essential role of community organisations.
19 Feb 2026
Insight provided by: Qualitative Insight Team, Public Health, Wirral Council
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People Seeking Asylum and Refugees’ Experiences of Accessing Health Services in Wirral
This qualitative insight project explored how people seeking asylum and refugees (PSA&R) access and experience healthcare in Wirral. Using focus groups with PSA&R, mini focus groups with professionals and a co-design workshop, the work identified the challenges individuals face when navigating the UK system, including language barriers, digital exclusion, disrupted continuity of care and complex housing transitions. The research also highlighted enablers such as trusted community organisations, partnership working, guided support and peer networks. Findings from this qualitative work will contribute to Wirral’s broader health needs assessment and support ongoing system improvement across health, voluntary, and local authority services.
19 Feb 2026
Insight provided by: Qualitative Insight Team, Public Health – Wirral Council.
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Post Covid Survey - Qualitative responses
A community survey was designed to capture perspectives on support needs and priorities during the transition out of COVID-19 restrictions, with the aim of informing local policy development and service planning. The survey featured three open-ended questions exploring support requirements, adaptation to living with COVID-19 and community priorities for recovery. This report provides an overview of the key themes identified through qualitative analysis of 516 participant responses to these questions, offering valuable insight into community experiences and expectations during this period of change.
24 Nov 2025
Insight provided by: Wirral Intelligence Service - Public Health - Wirral Council
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Improving resident engagement through Wirral People’s Panel: priorities, views, and opportunities for sustainable community involvement
The Wirral People’s Panel aimed to improve engagement with residents who were not typically involved in council consultations. Nine panels were held across Wirral, facilitated by trained local residents, to explore community priorities and views. Over 100 participants shared perspectives on local issues, including environment, anti-social behaviour, gaps in support services, and economic decline. The project also sought to upskill facilitators and foster sustainable engagement. While the process successfully reached new voices, insights largely reinforced known issues, highlighting the need for more focused themes and stronger mechanisms for change in future initiatives.
21 Nov 2025
Insight provided by: Revealing Reality
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Improving Health and Wellbeing for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Groups in Wirral: Research and Innovation Toolkit
This research explored health and wellbeing experiences among ethnic minority communities in Wirral. Over 80 residents from diverse ethnic backgrounds and 20 stakeholders were engaged through interviews, mini-groups, and discussions. The study examined integration, social networks, health challenges and access to services. Findings highlight fragmented experiences, language barriers, reliance on ethnic networks and varying levels of hopefulness and resilience. Opportunities include promoting social connection, effective support and personal progression whilst addressing stigma and discrimination concerns. Recommendations focus on collaboration, professional training and inclusive messaging to improve health outcomes and integration for residents from ethnic minority communities across Wirral.
21 Nov 2025
Insight provided by: Revealing Reality
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Health-Related Worklessness in Wirral: Barriers, Opportunities and Service Transformation
This research looked at how to make people in Wirral healthier and happier by tackling problems in service delivery around work and wellbeing. Using ethnography, the research focused on people who receive Employment Support Allowance, the challenges they face, and what helps them feel ready for change. The research also explored how where people live affects their choices. The insights helped to inform service redesign and investment strategies to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for residents.
20 Nov 2025
Insight provided by: Revealing Reality
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Drug Use In Wirral: Qualitative Study
The Qualitative Insight Team was asked to gather qualitative insight into people’s personal experience of drug and alcohol use in Wirral. This work provides in-depth insights into people’s experiences around the culture and harms of drug use, engagement with treatment and recovery services, stigma and resilience, health inequalities, contact with the criminal justice system, and the experiences of children and families. This information aims to ensure their voices and needs shape the design and delivery of the local offer. It also supports the delivery of Wirral's Health and Wellbeing Strategy, by ensuring that services are designed to strengthen the support for people with problem drug and alcohol use, prevent lasting impact, and address differences in health outcomes.
17 Nov 2025
Insight provided by: Qualitative Insight Team
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Care More About Us: Reviewing the Youth Offer in Wirral
Wirral Council conducted a comprehensive review of its Youth Offer in 2019 to understand young people’s needs and aspirations. A survey designed and delivered in collaboration with young people collected 2,736 responses. The survey gathered qualitative insights on key themes including health and wellbeing; education and employment; leisure activities; youth voice; community involvement; and access to information and advice. The insights provided ‘Top 10 Recommendations’ for improving the Youth Offer in Wirral.
17 Nov 2025
Insight provided by: Wirral Council in collaboration with the Youth Voice Group and Children in Care Council
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Why Community Matters: Understanding What Children and Families Want and Need from Early Help in Wirral
The Community Matters project explored what children and families in Wirral need from Early Help services. Between June and November 2019, Capacity engaged with 447 children, young people, parents, carers and professionals across Wirral, through interviews, focus groups and surveys. Families emphasised the importance of human connection over formal services, highlighting unmet mental health needs, social isolation and challenges during life changes. Barriers included fear, shame and fragmented support. The insights informed the co-design of the Family Toolbox Alliance, launched in 2022, providing a community-driven model and a single online access point to empower families with practical and emotional support.
14 Nov 2025
Insight provided by: Capacity
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Cost of Living Case Studies 2022
Wirral Council’s Qualitative Insight Team spoke to nine Wirral residents about their experiences of the cost-of-living crisis in 2022. Using semi-structured interviews, the research explored the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on residents and business owners, and possible opportunities for support. Three of the case studies were visualised as animated videos.
14 Nov 2025
Insight provided by: Qualitative Insight Team, Public Health, Wirral Council
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Wirral Neighbourhood Model Pilot
The Qualitative Insight Team in Public Health were asked to support the Wirral Neighbourhood Model Pilot – a community-led initiative to reduce health inequalities – by gathering resident voices across Birkenhead A and Wallasey C. In total, 156 people were asked about their current health & wellbeing, what is important to them where they live, what they would like to see improved, and how they would notice positive changes. The main method of insight gathering was through door knocking, supplemented by community engagements.
09 Sep 2025
Insight provided by: Qualitative Insight Team, Public Health, Wirral Council.
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Young People’s Risk-Taking Behaviours and Enablers/Barriers to Accessing Support and Services
To support the development of Wirral’s offer for children and young people around ‘risk and resilience’, the Qualitative Insight Team gathered insights on young people’s risk-taking behaviours and the pressures they experience. Focus groups were held with young people, parents and professionals. Semi-structured interviews and friendship interviews were held with 17–19-year-olds engaged in youth services. This work identified main risk-taking behaviours and how pressures are managed by young people and families, alongside barriers to accessing support/services. These insights informed the commissioning of a coordinated ‘risk and resilience’ offer to meet identified needs and improve outcomes for families.
09 Sep 2025
Insight provided by: Qualitative Insight Team, Public Health, Wirral Council.
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Open Door Charity: Ongoing Impact Evaluation of our Bazaar Mental Health Support Programme for Young People aged 14–35.
Bazaar is a free eight-session peer support programme shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. By blending elements of CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), mindfulness and more, Bazaar gives you the tools to control and combat negative thought patterns. Feedback that we collect from programme members through ongoing evaluation offers insights into young people's experiences of the Bazaar programme and their preferences for mental health support.
08 Sep 2025
Insight provided by: Open Door Charity.