"Online consultations" (appointments)

[georginaplatt]

What

The problem
Almost all GP surgeries now offer patients the ability to contact them about a concern online via an “online consultation tool”. Usage of these has been encouraged during Covid by many GP surgeries and usage has increased significantly.

Why

What do we know?
User research with patients in need of help from their GP surgery saw the vast majority hunt for the word “appointment” to fulfil their intent to “get Doctor’s appointment. Completing an online consultation form was often not included in this “appointments” section.

User research with patients showed a lack of understanding of what they could expect once they clicked a button marked “online consultation” with some users expecting an online Doctor to be available to consult immediately.

The widespread use of brand names of the providers of the online consultation tools further confused users.

We are planning to test with patient-users:

• Removing buttons or banners only referring to “online consultations” or “e-consultations”
• Including this new option to contact the GP surgery about a concern alongside other ways of contacting the surgery, especially in appointments sections: “To make an appointment you can call us, complete this (online consultation) form or walk in”.

Anything else

[sarawilcox]

We've received a request from NHSE's Digital First Primary Care team to update this NHS website page about online consultations. Content to be agreed with NHSE.

There's also this NHS website page about video consultations.

[Alice-Pearson]

The page mentioned above that was requested by NHSE is now live: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/using-an-online-form-to-contact-your-gp-surgery/

It has been retitled and now focuses on contacting GP surgeries using online forms, rather than having an online consultation.

[sarawilcox]

There's some research about online consultations in the report by the Primary Care Digital First team on Creating a highly usable and accessible GP website (on FutureNHS website, PDF for now). You need a FutureNHS login to view it.

They're hoping to publish an open HTML version soon.

[sarawilcox]

A proposal for the style guide from the Digital First Primary Care team:

Online consultation

Do not use the term ‘online consultation’ or any variation, like ‘eConsultation’.

Use ‘Request an appointment (online)’.

Existing guidance:

Current page on nhs.uk: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/using-an-online-form-to-contact-your-gp-surgery/

Content style guide A to Z for GP online services: https://service-manual.nhs.uk/content/a-to-z-of-nhs-health-writing#GP-online-services

We should be able to take this to the next Style Council meeting - September or October 2022.

[sarawilcox]

At October 2022 Style Council meeting, the NHS England team supporting the transformation of GP websites gave an overview of user research they had done on GP websites and proposed additions to the style guide based on their findings.

Online consultation

Do not use the term "online consultation" or any variation of it, like "eConsultation".

If you're talking about an online form to book an appointment, use "request an appointment (online)".

Our research showed people are not familiar with "online consultation”. When the term is used for an online form it's misleading. Many people think it means they'll have a consultation with a doctor online, rather than complete a form to request an appointment.

If you are talking about a phone, video or face to face consultation with a doctor or other health professional, be clear about the format.

Discussion

The NHS App team flagged that there may be issues around not using “online consultation” – for example, governance and mentions of 3rd party services and possible a disconnect with them. See this page in the App area of the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/nhs-app-help-and-support/appointments-and-online-consultations-in-the-nhs-app/online-consultations/.

General - we would need to make it clear to users that ‘request’ does not mean you will get an appointment.

Also a suggestion that “request an appointment online” could be confused with requesting a face-to-face appointment online? Would “request an online appointment” be clearer?

Action: This needs to be explored further with the NHS App team.

[After the meeting: Sara arranged a meeting with App and Login teams on 1 November. The App team presented some findings about:

• content around handing off to an “online consultations” supplier
• legal content (e.g. privacy policy) that mentions “online consultations” suppliers by name

The App team will prep some proposed wording around these 2 issues to bring back to next Style Council meeting.]

[sarawilcox]

We discussed the term “online consultation” at the October Style Council meeting where the NHS App team flagged some issues they wanted to consider further.

Graham P drafted an updated proposal after conversations in the App team and with the Digital First Primary Care team who raised the issue of “online consultations” originally.

Reworked entry for style guide A to Z - June 2023 Style Council meeting

Online consultation
Do not use the term "online consultation" or any variation of it, like "eConsultation".

If you're writing about using an online form to contact a GP surgery, be clear about the task and the outcome. The best way to describe this may depend on the context and the service that’s available.

For example, you could use phrases like:

• “Contact your GP using an online form”

• “Request an appointment (online)” where this is relevant, for example on a GP website alongside offline booking options

Our research showed people are not familiar with "online consultation”. When the term is used for an online form it's misleading. Many people think it means they'll have a consultation with a doctor online, rather than complete a form to request an appointment.

If you are talking about a phone, video or face to face consultation with a doctor or other health professional, be clear about the format.

Action: approved highlighted text. To be added to the content style guide, subject to clinical approval.