What makes a GP website patient friendly?
Download (PDF 255.57 KB)Summary of report content
Three Healthwatch Bristol volunteers undertook a ‘snapshot’ audit of nine GP websites to see if patients could find the information they need quickly and easily. They identified a few examples of good practice including,
- websites having options for translating their content into different languages using national flags so that non-English speakers could access it.
- Practices including links to websites, leaflets, documents in pdf formats that could be printed out about different conditions and health topics.
- Also, links to how to contact other support agencies across a range of issues that impact healthcare, links to local Patient Participation Groups, and details of changes to how they are supporting patients during the pandemic.
However, their volunteers also noted gaps in information providing, in accessibility standards, how patients can feedback and make complaints and how they can book an interpreter.
Based on their findings, Healthwatch Bristol have produced a tool for GP surgeries that they can use to audit their own website, identify issues and make improvements.