Accessible Results: enabling patients with diverse needs to access and understand their blood test results online

BACKGROUND

NHS England has rolled out online patient access to test results via the NHS App. Improving accessibility and understanding of online blood test results is important for patient centred care and empowerment. It is also important for patient safety, as patients can directly identify abnormal tests, and take the actions suggested in clinicians’ comments.

This could reduce the need for patients to contact their GP surgery, thereby reducing primary care workload. However, without developing support for patients to access and understand their results, the shift to online access could exclude some groups of patients and exacerbate health inequalities. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this research is to develop tools and guidance to assist all patients, including those with diverse needs, to access and understand online test results. Objectives 1) Explore patient, carer and primary care staff views and experiences of online test communication 2) Identify barriers and facilitators to improving online test result access for patients with diverse needs

3) Co-produce and test prototype tools and guidance to improve accessibility of online blood test results METHODS

We will use the person-based approach, working with patients and carers. The project comprises three work packages (WP), building on an ongoing systematic review. WP1: qualitative interviews with patients and staff to identify user needs

We will recruit 6 GP practices serving diverse communities in Bristol and Manchester, conducting interviews with around 40 patients and 20 primary care staff. We will sample a range of participants, including patients with accessibility needs. Patient interviews will explore accessibility and understanding of online results.

For those unable to view results online, we will use interactive prototypes to explore how online test results could be more accessible. Primary care staff interviews will explore views and experiences of online test communication. WP2: co-production workshops to develop draft tools and guidance

We will conduct 8-10 co-production workshops including diverse patient groups and primary care staff and work with our PPIE advisory panel to develop draft tools and guidance. These will be user-tested and iteratively refined in subsequent workshops and later WP1 interviews. WP3: web-based user-testing and refinement of the tools and guidance

A questionnaire will be disseminated to patients via GP practices and community groups for further user-testing and refinement of the tools and guidance. The final output will be an implementation intervention which may include: • Prototype tools for presenting test results in a more accessible way in the NHS App

• Template wording for clinicians to use when adding comments to test results • Posters and/or leaflets for patients to improve understanding of online test results • Resources for patients with diverse needs to help them navigate results online TIMELINES FOR DELIVERY Research will commence on 1st September 2024 and will be completed within 24 months

ANTICIPATED IMPACT AND DISSEMINATION

We are working closely with the NHS App team who inform us they “look forward to incorporating insights generated by the work into future App developments”. Template tools and guidance will be shared at regular stakeholder meetings and at a dissemination event. Our tools and guidance to improve accessibility of test results will have a direct impact on patients, clinicians and policy makers.