Modern General Practice: Mystery Shop

This report summarises our findings from the mystery shop and our subsequent recommendations.

We found:

1. There is disparity in the way MGP is being implemented by practices across East Sussex as evidenced by the current content of their websites and phone messages.
2. Only 61.8% of GP Practice phone messages reviewed made it clear what access channels are available to the patient.
3. A good practice website does not automatically mean a good phone system or message.
4. Only 12.7% of the phone messages reviewed mentioned walk-in access at GP surgeries and our reviewers only found information on 32.7% of the practice websites relating to walk-in access.
5. For most practices finding the correct website and telephone numbers online was either very easy or easy.
6. 8% of practice phone messages provided information on what to do in an emergency.
7. The ring back option was only observed on phone systems at 34.5% of practices.

What we did:

Across a two-week period in December 2024 18 mystery shoppers reviewed the website and in-hours phone messages of 55 GP practices from across East Sussex.

The Mystery Shoppers used a list of prescribed questions to review the website and phone messages of practices, with the focus of exploring whether the channels identified for implementation by Modern General Practice (telephone, online, in person) were in place, accessible and effective.

Recommendations:

Based on our findings we have made 13 recommendations aimed at improving patients and the publics experiences of the access channels available at East Sussex GPs, these include:

• For more regular lay testing to take place to understand patients and public experiences, and whether these meet user needs.
• For information about walk-in access to services to be clear across channels.
• For more uniformed messaging relating to which service to use and when to be encouraged system wide.

Next steps:

• This report and our recommendations will be shared with the public, services and commissioners at NHS Sussex to encourage further work and discussions to take place to improve the accessibility channels available at East Sussex GP Practices.
• Healthwatch East Sussex will continue to work with local practices to raise awareness of access requirements and good practice for websites and phone messages.
• Healthwatch East Sussex will look to conduct further mystery shops at health and care services setting across the county.