Cancer GP Website Review & Local Support Available

This report is by Bath and North East Somerset. The focus is on local GP websites and cancer related information.

The report found the following:

All websites in a similar format, with only limited information available for all subjects.

The reviewed websites have information on various conditions, often not including information regarding cancer.

Four websites reviewed included cancer care pages, including links to well-known charities, but rarely any information on what specifically the GP’s will do to support their patients (one review mentioned to get in touch with the practice if more information regarding cancer or diagnosis is needed).

From the reviewed that did include information on cancer and supporting charities, the links to these pages were at the bottom of the website, and often quite difficult to locate.

There were recommendations in the report.

• Websites with limited resources regarding cancer should provide links to known national services (link to the main NHS cancer website) and link to the page on Healthwatch Bath and North East Somerset Cancer Support Groups available Locally and Nationally.

• Links to cancer information and cancer support should be easier to locate, and not hidden at the bottom of the website, or have multiple links to get to the cancer page. 

• All websites should include information to cancer charities and cancer support groups, and again, made easy to locate.

• Its often that some websites only included specific cancer information (only bowel cancer), it may be suggested that websites should include cancer in general, or more than one form of cancer information, increasing the generalizability of the website.

There were no follow up actions in the report.