Bolton GP websites audit

Healthwatch Bolton undertook research on GP practice websites across Bolton. They reviewed the websites of all GP practices within the Bolton GP Federation to assess how effectively they communicated information about services, online access, extended hours provision, the shared care record and new primary care roles.

The audit found that all GP practices had a website and that most sites were functional, easy to navigate and contained relevant information for patients. Many websites included online appointment booking facilities, translation options and information in multiple formats. However, there was considerable variation in the content provided and the terminology used. Information about new primary care roles was largely absent, while information about the shared care record was often inconsistent and referred to using different terms. 

The greatest inconsistency was found in information about out-of-hours care and extended access services. Different practices provided different advice about who patients should contact when surgeries were closed, with varying references to out-of-hours services, NHS services, urgent care and emergency care. Online booking systems were also not always prominently promoted, and some websites offered limited guidance on how patients could use digital services.

Healthwatch Bolton recommended greater consistency in website content across practices, including standardised information about out-of-hours services, the shared care record and new primary care roles. The report also recommended promoting online booking more effectively, ensuring websites are regularly updated, using more accessible formats and providing coordinated communications materials that could be shared across all GP practices.