Access to GP services
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Healthwatch County Durham undertook mystery shopping into the information on 59 GP websites in the county and about the content of automated telephone messages of 77 GP services.
Nearly nine in ten websites provided current Covid-19 advice, but less than half were up to date. Nearly 3 in 5 had a link to the NHS Covid-19 advice site. They found a wide variety of presentation styles and the type and quality of information provided.
All GP practices who were phoned out of hours included advice on general health matters. Only two provided information on how to cancel an appointment or referred patients to the online booking systems.
Over half didn’t include information on how to get an appointment with a GP. Eight percent of the automated messages were complex or difficult to understand. Apart from providing information on opening hours and accessing the practice website, there was very little information on how to get an appointment with a health professional other than a GP.