GP Website Survey Report - Support for cancer patients during the Covid-19 crisis

Healthwatch Southend undertook a mystery shopper exercise to see what information local GP practice websites held for patients with cancer, especially during the lockdown period.

Summary

During lockdown, virtually all elective interventions for patients with cancer were suspended, increasing anxiety for a vulnerable group of patients. An initial study had been undertaken by Central Bedfordshire to inform the work of the East of England Cancer Alliance; other local Healthwatch agreed to replicate the study to add weight to calls for accurate and timely information to be available.

Key findings

• a small number of practices which did not have a website at all – four out of 26

• information relevant to patients with cancer, especially links to MacMillan Cancer Research, was available on most websites, but might require some searching.

• Links to cancer support groups were found on about half the websites. Unfortunately some hyperlinks were broken.

• most websites lacked a link to Healthwatch Southend.

Click below to download the full report

GP COVID 19 Website survey report cancer uploaded240820.pdf

Download PDF • 388KB

If you need this report in a different format, please email info@healthwatchsouthend.co.uk or call 01702 416320.