'You and your GP' mapping
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Healthwatch Brighton & Hove, Healthwatch East Sussex and Healthwatch West Sussex looked at channels of communication at GP practices across Sussex during November 2025. They wanted to identify if GP practices are adhering to the ‘You and Your General Practice’ requirements. Healthwatch staff and volunteers reviewed 163 Sussex GP practice websites to check compliance.
Most of the 163 GP practices reviewed in Sussex (77.3%) had published the ‘You and Your GP’ guidance on their websites or provided a link to it. However, 22.7% had not.
Geographical variations exist, with all practices in Brighton & Hove publishing the guidance, compared to approximately two-thirds in East Sussex and West Sussex.
The location and presentation of ‘You and Your GP’ guidance published on GP practice websites varies considerably.
Approximately a quarter of practices placed YYGP content in high-profile locations on their website homepage making the content easy to find.
Approximately half of practices located YYGP links and information in their home page footer, which may be hard for patients to see, or understand without context.
The location of YYGP content seems linked to the design of the website, with practices using the same design often having YYGP content in the same place.
Most GP websites in Sussex (62.0%) included information on the availability of face-to-face access at the practice. However, in 4-in-10 of these examples, information suggested access was not provided for the full duration of the times required by YYGP (8am to 6.30pm).
Most GP websites in Sussex (77.9%) included information on the availability of phone access to the practice. However, in 4-in-10 of these examples, information suggested access was not provided for the full duration of the times required by YYGP (8am to 6.30pm).
Most GP websites in Sussex (66.9%) included information on the availability of digital platforms at the practice. However, in 3-in-10 of these examples, information indicated access was not provided for the full duration of the times required by YYGP (8am to 6.30pm).
Few GP websites presented information about all the different communication channels and operating times in a clear and simple way. Some GP practice websites contain conflicting information on different pages (e.g. phone operating hours vary from surgery opening hours) which may cause confusion amongst patients about what is operating and when.
Some GP practice websites contain content on key themes (e.g. booking appointments), which is doesn’t appear particularly patient friendly. Examples include presenting too much information, the use of complicated or technical language, or excessive numbers of links to other website pages.