GP practice websites
Summary
The NHS South East region, (NHS England and the South East ICBs) are working with the South Central and West Commissioning Support unit to carry out an evaluation on all South East general practice websites to see what support is required to ensure all practices meet the standards outlined in the benchmark and improvement tool developed by our National team. As and when this phase has been delivered, we intend to work with each ICB to deliver the outcomes of the audit to bring practices up to the Appropriate standards required and also deliver a continuous improvement plan for the future to ensure we are able to keep abreast of the required standards.
The existing NHS England guide is for practice managers, primary care networks (PCNs), integrated care systems (ICSs) (formerly CCGs), GP federations and anyone who is looking for guidance for improving online journeys into general practice. This guidance includes information about:
- improving online journeys for patients using GP websites
- how to encourage patients to use online journeys
- how to support patients to use the NHS App and other Apps
- how practices working at scale within PCNs can create highly usable and accessible online journeys for patients and save time and money.
Guidance
Research shows that it is imperative that GP practices, Primary Care Network and Hubs:
- understand user needs: focus on users with low or moderate digital confidence and literacy
- prioritise improving the most frequent 5-7 tasks/journeys that include call out key tasks on the homepage, make the primary navigation and search visible, multiple, clear calls to action include Online consultations under Appointments.
- review copy is it accurate, clear and concise
- explain how patient-users should interact – If they have an urgent need, if they have a non-urgent need, if they need help after hours (when to call 111, 999, visit UTC or access extended hours or A&E)
- use task-based user testing as testing with users with low or moderate digital confidence and literacy will help you better understand your audience
Link
Creating a highly usable and accessible GP website for patients NHS guidance for practices, PCN Hubs and ICBs to support the creation.