Portsdown Group Practice Also known as Cosham Park House

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

We looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture

At our last assessment, we rated this key question as Good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. Leaders worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities. The service was aware of the projected increase in the local population and was working with partner agencies such as hospitals and community teams, ensuring the needs of the patient groups are being met. The service had a well-developed understanding of equality, diversity and human rights, and they prioritised safe and high-quality care. Staff also shared that they consider the service to be proactive and forward-thinking, such as supporting trainee GPs who have then become salaried GPs at the service following qualification. Systems and processes were in place to support staff in providing care in line with current best practice.

The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They always did so with integrity, openness and honesty. Staff told us leaders in the service were approachable and responded to any concerns raised. Staff also told us leaders modelled the values of the service, for example, the service was committed to demonstrating a fair pay and responsible employment based on the cost of living. The leadership team also encouraged staff to be engaged in wellbeing activities which promoted inclusion. The service was able to demonstrate leadership development and career progression for staff, such as an operational administration team member had recently been trained and promoted to a senior secretary role.

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. The service had established Freedom to Speak up arrangements and staff were aware of how to raise concerns and how to access external support if needed. The service had a Freedom to speak up policy and this detailed clear pathways for raising concerns including anonymous options. The service promoted open discussions through significant event learning and staff are encouraged to flag concerns even when they feel unsure about things.

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. Policies and procedures to promote diversity and equality were in place, and staff with caring responsibilities were actively supported with a flexible approach and changes to schedules to accommodate their needs. Staff had completed training in equality, diversity, and inclusion and were aware of supporting people with protected characteristics such as age, gender, sexuality, religion, or disability. Adjustments had been made to ensure all staff were valued, for example, we saw all staff had a Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessment which were regularly conducted in accordance with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.

The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver high-quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They always act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate.

Leaders supported staff, and all staff we spoke with were clear on their individual roles and responsibilities. Leaders met with staff regularly to complete appraisals and performance reviews. The service had established governance processes appropriate for their delivery model, for example, the service had an estates department who managed the health and safety and maintenance of the premises for each of the service’s sites. There were weekly meetings to discuss the status of repairs for each service and there was a 5-year maintenance plan in place. This demonstrated how the risks posed to the health and safety of people were being appropriately managed. Staff could access all required policies and procedures. The service created a monthly newsletter for staff, and this shared operational updates and positive feedback from people who used the service. Staff were involved in regular service meetings, which discussed clinical concerns and emerging risks. Leaders recorded any actions arising from these meetings and shared these with staff. Staff took confidentiality and information security seriously. The service also had an improvement log, and this also celebrated internal service improvements. The service had acted on feedback to improve access to services and were in the process of implementing a new online appointment system to further enhance people’s experience of accessing the service.

The service understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement, for example, due to local demand the service recruited midwives to assist with women’s health. The service worked with other practices within their local primary care network to offer extended access, and flu and covid vaccination programmes. Newsletters and education events were used as tools to strengthen engagement with people who used the service and the local community. Staff improved coordination with community healthcare services, which highlighted people living with a diagnosis of dementia and living at home may be experiencing less effective care due to not living with someone. An initial search was undertaken which had identified people with a diagnosis with dementia, and contact was made with their families, next of kin or advocates. The outcome of this project resulted in implementing dementia care plans which were monitored regularly for care planning. A survey showed feedback from people was 100% positive about the project. Positive examples of feedback included home visits by the service’s clinicians; establishing a relationship with the person who otherwise may not have been identified and reviewed. This helped establish a baseline to identify when further support may be needed, leading to a potential reduction in hospital admissions. Leaders told us they worked with other practices in the primary care network and were engaged in the development of primary care services within the local area. For example, the service was in the process of implementing a new online appointment system in September 2025. The service actively contributed to a diverse range of community-oriented programmes that addressed local health inequalities and supported specific population groups. Initiatives included targeted support for carers through a dedicated register and regular meetings, collaborative work with veterans and military families, outreach to faith and minority communities, partnership with Rowans Hospice for palliative and end-of-life care, and regular engagement with Healthwatch to drive service improvement. The service also participated in city-wide collaborations such as the Portsmouth Primary Care Alliance and runs specialised projects focused on health inequalities, veterans’ pathways, carers’ support, social isolation, dementia outreach, and strengthening ties with local faith groups and community organisations. These efforts reflect inclusive and collaborative service design, in line with the Quality Statements for Equity, Partnership Working, and Population Health Management.

The service had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contribute to safe, effective service and research.

Leaders used their knowledge and additional training and resources to seek out and embed new and innovative ways of working. The service had a quality improvement plan in place and used recognised quality improvement methodologies to help shape and drive improvements in services. The service had systems for learning and improvement, which shared outcomes with staff. For example, the service created a Leg Ulcer assessments project. The aim was to improve leg ulcer patient assessments and streamline the clinical pathway during the referral process. After completing the project, the service was able to demonstrate improved access for people and person-centred leg ulcer assessments provided for each person identified. The service demonstrated a multidisciplinary approach across clinical and on clinical teams fostering a strong ambition to promote continuous development and learning . This highlighted a culture where staff are encouraged to share knowledge, receive constructive feedback, and pursue continuous professional development, which built trust and engagement. The service had previously won a Green Impact Award. This scheme promoted sustainability and good service through several different initiatives carried out as a provider. For example, the provider encouraged sharing car lifts and walking to work; used Fairtrade products for refreshments.