A new study into UK GP surgeries’ websites by Nexer Digital, found that two-thirds (66%) of sites have detectable design errors, potentially excluding one-in-five users
Accessibility issues are putting millions of people at risk of being unable to access the necessary healthcare support they require.
Non-compliance among websites and platforms is a common occurrence, and often public sector website vendors and suppliers aren’t taking the necessary steps to ensure sites are accessible to users.
The audit was released on Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), an event that focuses on digital accessibility and inclusion for the more than one billion people with disabilities and access needs, worldwide.
The majority (66%) of UK GP surgeries’ websites returned at least one fault based on WCAG standards, a set of guidelines all public sector bodies must meet as required by the government since 2018.
Recent figures from WebAIM’s comprehensive Million Report indicate that sectors including banking and travel are among the worst for accessibility, with public sector sites performing comparatively better.
Nexer Digital’s audit found the average UK GP surgery website has three errors on its homepage. This is consistent with WebAIM’s sector-specific findings and represents far fewer errors than the average 50 errors per page found in the report.
However, any accessibility errors represent barriers to access for some users, and it’s important that vendors are proactive and transparent about ensuring the platforms they sell allow primary care providers to build and maintain accessible sites.
The most common errors on GP surgeries’ websites include poorly colour contrasting text, empty links, empty buttons, and missing headings, and make it difficult for people with low vision and those that use assistive technology to access websites.
Hilary Stephenson, MD at Nexer Digital, said: “The UK’s GP practices are being sold websites and digital platforms lacking in core accessibility. These digital products are also supplied without sufficient and continued support to maintain their content and how it is displayed online, not just to the naked eye but through accessibility tools.
“Suppliers also have a duty to educate GPs and practice staff that will be contributing to the website after the procurement process on the nuances of accessibility.
“The content of a website is distinct from the platform itself, and people in a GP practice may not have an awareness on how to accommodate for access needs digitally. This leads to unwitting GP surgeries providing websites that aren’t accessible to a sizeable proportion of their potential users.”
An inadequate level of contrast between the text color and the background of a webpage results in users with vision-based disabilities being unable to read text and understand information. Despite this, almost two thirds (62%) of GP surgeries websites reviewed had low contrast text.
A quarter (24%) of the GP surgeries’ sites also contained empty links – a hyperlink which doesn’t contain text or describe its destination – causing potential confusion for users being taken to an unspecified webpage or form.
One in 10 (eight per cent) GP surgeries websites were missing image alternative text. A written description used to explain the contents of an image to those that have trouble seeing it.
Stephenson continued: “The onus falls on those commissioning the digital products from platform vendors, not the primary care providers. In addition, the vendors themselves should be creating products with accessibility at their core to begin with.
“Our audit and industry feedback would suggest that this is not the case. Failure by the vendors is also coupled with a lack of investment in digital skills training and roles within the healthcare sector.
“The government is at risk of increasing pressure on GP practices without providing them with user friendly systems and adequate service design. If more people are expected to find a solution to their health problem digitally an urgent rethink on how platforms are funded and created is needed.”
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