Somerset doctors’ surgeries should make their websites simpler to navigate in order to ensure patients get access to the services they need.

That is the finding of a new report by Healthwatch Somerset, which campaigns for better health services on behalf of patients.

The organisation conducted a survey of patients in May asking for their views on online GP services. It has now published its findings with several recommendations to improve the situation.

Health bosses in Somerset have pledged to make online primary care services more accessible, accepting both the report’s findings and new national guidelines.

The NHS England national GP patient survey of 2021 found that 58 per cent of respondents in Somerset did not use general practice online services to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, access medical records or have virtual consultations or appointments.

Exactly half of Somerset respondents in the same survey said they hadn’t tried to use their GP practice’s website to look for information to access services.

 

After surveying more than 240 patients across 64 GP practices in Somerset, Healthwatch Somerset has made the following recommendations about how surgeries’ website should be immediately improved:

  • Website design and content should be simple and uncluttered, and frequent changes to design and layout should be avoided so that people can become familiar with using the site
  • Patient input should be sought when developing GP websites, through patient participation groups or the NHS Somerset digital champions
  • Simple instructions should be provided so that people know how to use the website and how it can help them get the care they need. This guidance needs to be offered in a variety of formats so that people do not have to go online to find out how to use the website
  • More help should be provided for people who lack digital knowledge and skills. This could be through Somerset’s GP practice digital outreach team, or by making sure people are directed to support schemes such as Spark iT
  • If people are unable or reluctant to use digital services, they must not be criticised or excluded from getting the care they need from their GP practice.

Healthwatch Somerset manager Gill Keniston-Goble said: “Digital technology is rapidly becoming the main way to get information from GPs and to access their services.

“It’s vital, therefore, that digitalisation is used to make it easier and not harder for everyone to get care and support.

“Listening to public feedback will help GP practices understand how to achieve this.”