People’s experiences of using eConsult in Bristol
About eConsult
eConsult was the first online consultation service to be integrated into the NHS app. Patients can use it to request GP advice without the need for telephone or face-to-face contact with their GP practice, aiming to save time and staff capacity, and make access to care easier and quicker.
26 people in Bristol shared their experiences of eConsult with us.
What people told us
How do people want to make an appointment with their GP practice?
- Only four individuals expressed a preference for making a GP appointment online.
- Others said that they would use eConsult for routine requests such as blood tests.
- The majority of people wanted to be able to make an appointment over the telephone or in person.
Ability to use eConsult
Not everyone who was interviewed had used eConsult. There were two main reasons for this:
- Not being used to going online, or not being able to go online.
- People who weren't used to going online expressed concerns about not understanding the system and its reliability. Those who had always used the telephone to make appointments and found it an easy process.
- Some felt uncomfortable filling in their personal details, not knowing who would have access to this information.
How people heard about eConsult
Individuals said that they’d heard about it through their GP practice, either through the reception team when trying to book an appointment, via another method, or some had been sent an email from the practice informing them that they would now be using eConsult.
Availability of eConsult
We heard mixed views about whether eConsult was available when people needed it. Issues included that the system only seemed to be available during surgery opening hours, and that for people who are working, there is no option to access the system outside of their working hours.
"I work full time and can never get the time to go online to book"
"It’s easier to fill out a form like this in the evening rather than during working hours"
One person said that eConsult at their GP practice opened at 8am but closed at 10am due to demand. Other individuals did not know that the system was only available at certain times, as it had always been available when they had accessed it.
Some who had managed to submit forms outside of their GP practice's opening hours were unclear whether the form had been received or not.
Several individuals commented that they often have to try to access the system a few times before they’re able to get into it, which they say is frustrating.
Filling in the eConsult form
When asked about their experiences of filling in the eConsult online form, many individuals expressed frustration. Much of this frustration came from the length and repetitiveness of the form.
"Although I understand the intention behind asking detailed questions, many seem irrelevant or repetitive."
"Always have to fill in the same information for regular ongoing health needs"
"Having to complete an eConsult form repeatedly for routine appointments feels unnecessary and inefficient"
"Lacks flexibility for people with chronic conditions"
Frustrations also came from getting part of the way through the form and it then crashing, which meant having to start from the beginning again.
- One individual commented that it would have been useful to know that the form would time out after 25 minutes of inactivity.
- One individual said that they asked for help from someone else to complete the form because they are embarrassed because they feel that their spelling and grammar isn’t very good.
Is eConsult well designed?
Feelings were mixed.
- Some individuals felt that there was enough space once they were able to enter information but that determining which options fitted most appropriately with their experience was very challenging.
- One individual thought that the form could be more user friendly if it allowed for free text input earlier in the process, so that they could describe their condition in their own words.
- We heard that some people found themselves having to select options that they feel are only "close enough" to their condition which creates uncertainty for them.
- Other individuals said that by selecting certain options their situation was automatically deemed an emergency, even though it wasn’t which means that they have to restart the form, trying other options so that they could complete it correctly.
- The term 'urgent' could be interpreted in different ways by different individuals. Some individuals also commented that "people will say things are urgent when they aren’t in order to get an appointment."
One individual explained that the complexity and structure of the form caused their daughter, who has ADHD, significant anxiety, making it difficult for her to complete the form independently, and therefore reducing her autonomy.
Benefits of using eConsult
Several individuals found that being able to upload a photo to eConsult is very helpful. One individual commented that being able to do so makes you "feel more satisfied that you’ve communicated the problem". Others suggested this should be a more visible option.
One individual felt that the main benefit of using eConsult was the ability to avoid long phone queues and that before the system was introduced, they’d often had to spend hours on the phone to speak to someone at the practice.
How can eConsult be improved?
- Improving the availability of appointments, or being able to see a calendar of available appointments.
- GP practices to address concerns around eConsult being the only way of being able to contact their GP practice.
- This was particularly important for individuals with serious or complex conditions, who need to be able access GP services in a way that suited them best.
- There was a feeling that the lack of alternatives could lead to certain groups feeling isolated or excluded from care.
Has eConsult helped achieve desired outcomes?
Again, we heard mixed experiences.
- Issues with triage:
- One individual said that some of the information they had entered into eConsult had been disregarded, and that the person who called her to follow up had the wrong information.
- Another individual phoned the surgery and was asked to complete an eConsult. The outcome was to call the surgery, after which they felt they had been triaged wrongly, adding to their anxieties.
- Another individual was asked to complete an eConsult and was told to go to a pharmacy. They felt this was not appropriate for their situation, phone the surgery again and was given an appointment with a nurse.
- One individual said their requests generally reached the appropriate service, and they often get a confirmation text telling them that someone will be in touch within a specific timeframe, usually 24 hours. They said that this creates a sense of reassurance and structure.
- Four individuals said that they have been unable to get an appointment through eConsult. One said that due to this they were put off using the eConsult process again.
Have you used eConsult or another online platform to contact your GP? Share your experience with us by completing our online feedback form.
