Peterborough Healthwatch group compiling report on all GP websites

GP websites in the Peterborough area have all been audited by Healthwatch to check for ease of use and correct coronavirus information.
Speaking to members at their zoom online Health and Care Forum last week, Sandie Smith, CEO said: “Our staff and volunteers have been looking at all GP practices in the Peterborough area over the past few weeks to assess the information on them, their ease of use and whether they have correct information on them.
“Since the pandemic started in March, many people are finding they have to interact with their local GP in different ways other than on the telephone or turning up for an appointment.
“Remote appointments using online video-links such as zoom and skype are now common-place and while some people find this quite normal, others – especially the elderly – may find interaction with a computer completely foreign and even a frightening prospect.
“We looked at all the GP websites in the Peterborough area, asking some particular questions of them: for example, do they contain the information that people need to know and is that information easy to find and accessible? A website needs to be user friendly.
“Secondly, we’ve been making sure that they have up to date Covid-19 information on them because we all know that’s been changing on a daily basis and it’s hard to keep up with all the latest news – we struggle with it ourselves and make absolutely sure that the information we give out is right up to date.

“GP practices really do need to have their information up to date, and their websites should be the same.

“However, some it seems, haven’t been able to service their website with regularly up to date information and this can be very misleading and worrying.

“In addition, we’ve been looking at the latest information about services other than coronavirus, especially cancer services on GP websites.

“We know from our interviews that a lot of people are concerned there are some NHS services that have been ‘paused’ for coronavirus, but that these may now be returning to something like a normal service – it’s vital therefore that this information is updated and correct on all GP websites.

“In some cases, people have been delaying getting help and information for their health conditions because they don’t know if it is available or appropriate to ask for it during the pandemic.

“All of the information collected by us from all of the GP websites in the Peterborough area will be put together by Healthwatch Peterborough in one big report, and we will make our findings known so that the practices can update their sites if need be, and make certain that patients are getting the most accurate information.

“We’ve found that our information signposting service on our own website has been exceptionally busy during the pandemic, far busier than we would’ve otherwise expected.

“In the very early days of Covid-19 everything went a little bit quiet, but it didn’t last long and now lots of people are getting in touch with us to share their concerns about what’s happening with their appointments, treatments, referrals, and which clinics and services have been paused and which have not.

“So again, accurate, up to date information on a website is vital at a time like this, and that’s why our staff and volunteers have undertaken this survey which, we hope, will give GPs the incentive to update their websites where necessary.”

Healthwatch is the independent champion for people who use health and social care services whose sole purpose is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf, working to get services right for the future.

Healthwatch Peterborough can be contacted on 0330 355 1285 or www.healthwatchpeterborough.co.uk