Cross-sectional analyses of online appointment booking and repeat prescription ordering user characteristics in general practices of England in the years 2018–2020

OBJECTIVES: To explore the characteristics of the General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS) respondents using the different functionalities of the online services in the context of England’s National Health Service General Practices. We hypothesised that respondents who are older, with lower socioeconomic status and non-white ethnicity would be less likely to use online services, while long-term conditions might increase their usage. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using respondent-level data from the GPPS in England of the years 2018, 2019 and 2020. We assessed the association between online services use and respondent characteristics using two-level mixed-effects logistic regression. PARTICIPANTS: Survey respondents of the GPPS 2018–2020. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Online appointment booking and online repeat prescription ordering. RESULTS: 1 807 049 survey respondents were included in this study. 15% (n=263 938) used online appointment booking in the previous 12 months, and 19% (n=339 449) had ordered a repeat prescription in the previous 12 months. Respondents with a long-term condition, on regular multiple medications, who have deafness or hearing loss and who are from the lowest deprivation quintile were more likely to have used online services. Male respondents (compared with females) and respondents with black and other ethnicity compared with white ethnicity were less likely to use online services. Respondents over 85 years old were less likely to use online appointment booking and online repeat prescription ordering compared with the younger age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Specific groups of respondents were more likely to use online services such as patients with long-term conditions or those with deafness or hearing loss. While online services could provide efficiency to patients and practices it is essential that alternatives continue to be provided to those that cannot use or choose not to use online services. Understanding the different patients’ needs could inform solutions to increase the uptake and use of the services.