'GP system suppliers' - adding a new entry to the A to Z

[OliviaThornton]

What

The NHS App team would like to see 'GP system suppliers' added into the service manual. The entry should cover how to refer to the suppliers, and what to use for patients and healthcare professionals.

Specifically, we would like to see the following listed for patient-facing content:

• EMIS (Patient Access)
• Microtest
• TPP (SystmOnline)
• Vision

Why

We think there should be a consistent approach to naming the main GP supplier systems across all NHS content.

In the NHS App team we use supplier names in patient-facing content, for example, help and support pages, and release notes.

It's often difficult for users to understand what we're referring to when we just say the GP system name. We know that through usability testing users recognise "Patient Access" but may not recognise "EMIS" in isolation, and they recognise "SystmOnline" but may not recognise "TPP" in isolation.

And there's currently no mention of clinical system names on https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/gps/gp-online-services/ - it only refers to the patient-facing system names.

At the same time we know the NHSD site are using slightly different versions as their audience is different.

[sarawilcox]

Thanks @OliviaThornton. I'll put this on the agenda for the December Style Council meeting.

[sarawilcox]

For February Style Council meeting.

[OliviaThornton]

We would like the following added into the A to Z:

GP system supplier names and their patient facing services

When referring to the GP system, for patients we say:

• EMIS (Patient Access)
• TPP (SystmOnline)
• Vision (TBC)

When referring to the patient facing service of a GP system, it's okay not to include the supplier name. For example:

• Patient Access
• SystmOnline
• TBC

When referring to the GP system, for healthcare staff we say:

• EMIS or EMIS Web
• TPP or TPP SystmOne
• Vision or Vision 3

[sarawilcox]

Thanks @OliviaThornton. Worth adding a bit about the research to the style guide in this case, I think. E.g. we found that patients often didn't recognise what we were referring to when we just said the GP system name.

[sarawilcox]

The following addition to the A to Z of NHS health writing was discussed at and approved by the March Style Council meeting:

GP system supplier names and patient facing services

Users often do not recognise the name of GP systems in isolation from their patient facing services.

Usability testing by the NHS App team showed that:

• users recognise "Patient Access" but often do not recognise the name of the supplier "EMIS"
• they recognise "SystmOnline" but often do not recognise the name of the supplier "TPP"

For patients, when referring to the GP system we say:

• EMIS (Patient Access)
• TPP (SystmOnline)
• Patient Services (Vision)

For patients, when referring to the patient facing service of a GP system, it's OK not to include the supplier name. For example:

• Patient Access
• SystmOnline
• Patient Services

For healthcare staff, it's OK to refer to the system name of the GP supplier if appropriate. For example:

• EMIS or EMIS Web
• TPP or TPP SystmOne
• Vision or Vision 3

Now waiting for clinical approval before we publish the change.

[sarawilcox]

I notice that NHSE has published some leaflets about "GP online services" and am wondering whether they did any user research around the use of the term. I'll ask them.

If so, it seems to me that that might be the overarching entry in the A to Z, with the detail above being part of that entry. I suspect that people might not search for "GP system supplier names".

See NHSE& Improvement guides:

• GP online services easy read: Patient Guide
• Giving another person access to your GP online services: Patient Guide

The NHS website has a page about Online health and prescription services.

[sarawilcox]

Published.