New online form for impact assessments

An Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) helps ensure we safeguard our colleagues, customers, and residents. 

A new online IIA form is now available to help you capture how policies, projects, services, functions or strategies you are working on will impact our colleagues, customers and residents.

You must complete this form at the beginning of any new initiatives or changes. This will ensure the council’s decision-making process considers the full impact of any new policy, project, service, function or strategy, in both a positive and negative way. They need to be completed for decision reports going to public meetings.

There are a number of categories with questions that need answering within the online IIA assessment. The categories and questions are based on the council’s priorities and strategies. 

There are links throughout the form to resources that may be useful to help you complete it. If you have any enquiries about the form, contact e.d.i@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call 023 9268 8404.

Civic offices: multi-faith room

We have created a more permanent multi-faith room in the civic offices following requests from staff. The new multi-faith room can be found on floor 3 core 5 (shown to the right).

This room is available to staff to practice their faith, or for quiet contemplation. Please consider the needs of everyone who may wish to use this room. If there are any specific requirements needed for this room, please contact the facilities team via facilitiesmanagement@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

Active Bystander training 

Free online training is available for staff working in and around the night-time economy and public places, to be active bystanders and prevent violence.

Council staff are in a unique position to strengthen wider intervention work to prevent sexual violence and violence against women and girls within their roles. This training compliments other work being undertaken as part of the safer streets programme to support long-term culture change in the community, and in leading organisations like the council.

The two-hour virtual training sessions are taking place on 17 and 21 April 2023, and will be delivered by Graham Goulden of Cultivating Minds UK who is an expert in the field of violence prevention.

Find out more and book your place

Stress awareness resources

It's national Stress Awareness Month, and remember you can get information on the sources of stress, signs and symptoms of stress, self-care tips and support and activities on the stress awareness intranet pages.

Bookboon also offer titles on managing your stress and mental wellbeing including:

How to Manage Your Stress Levels - audio book by Jill Maidment

Hear what triggers can cause a stress response and understand what are some of the physical symptoms. Identify who can support you and learn some practical tools and techniques to cope with stress.

Mental Wellbeing - book by Shenandoah Chefalo

Thіѕ bооk hіghlіghts ѕоmе of thе mоѕt рrеvаlеnt mіѕсоnсерtіоnѕ аbоut mеntаl hеаlth аnd оffеr рrасtісаl tips to оvеrсоmе thеѕе mіѕсоnсерtіоnѕ.

Bookboon offers free access to 1000s audios and eBooks on a wide selection of topics. 

Access Bookboon here

Emergency alerts system

An emergency alert is a free service being launched by the UK government that are sent through to your mobile phone or device when there’s a danger to your life, health or property in the area you’re located. Only the government and the emergency services can send them and they don’t need your location or phone number.

There will be a national test message of the system at 3pm on Sunday 23 April, where you will hear a loud siren-like sound and a notification will appear.

The charity Refuge has shared a video about how you can opt out of the emergency alert service if you're experiencing domestic abuse, as the alert will make a loud sound even if a phone is on silent. For further advice go to gov.uk/alerts/opt-out.

Find out more about the system

COVID-19 booster

The spring COVID-19 booster programme is underway and the booster dose will be available for:

• adults aged 75 years and over
• residents in a care home for older adults
• individuals aged 5 years and over who are immunosuppressed

Eligible individuals will be invited to book either directly through their GP practice or by using the National Booking Service or NHS App, with the first appointments becoming available week commencing Monday 17 April. 

Find out more

Easter competition

Salary Finance, our financial wellbeing provider, is making Easter egg-stra special this month with their Egg Hunt Competition. They’ll be giving one lucky Portsmouth City Council winner a £50 One4all retail voucher.

Visit Salary Finance and start hunting for the hidden egg, remembering to check what colour it is! Once you’ve found the egg, you must submit your answer by Friday 14 April to be in with a chance to win. Terms and conditions apply.