HEALTHCARE AND ACCESSIBILITY
Online GP services are not accessible or inclusive to all patients. How can we fix this?
6 week team project for Canonical.
GP surgery website being assessed : https://www.torringtonparkgrouppractice.nhs.uk/health-information/
What's the problem?
Most GP surgeries enable patients to book online using an online form, but each practice uses a different booking system and layout. Not all systems are easily understandable or usable by all patients, despite these being primary care facilities and the first touch point for many patients.
Who are the users?
Patients who can vary in age, gender, mental or physical ability (temporary or permanent), socio-economic status , ethnicity and language barriers.
Why should we care?
These primary care services are the first point of contact for all patients wishing to see their GP or nurse. Without being able to access this service, many people may suffer with worsening medical issues, pain or even death.
Additionally, people may go to A&E services instead of seeing their GP, which will delay these emergency services for those who desperately need it and increase the cost and demand on an already under funded service.
It is essential that these services are easy and accessible to all as the implications are too significant to ignore.
Accessibility assessment results?
Using the WCAG-EM report tool and the Axe DevTools plug in, I assessed the practice website against the WCAG 2.2 criteria.
How can we improve this?
Suggestions:
- Add alt text to all images
- Ensure <tags> are appropriately coded in layers i.e. <ul> must contain <li>
- Contrast must meet 4.5:1 ratio for all icons, buttons and text
- All text should be resizable
- Remove images of text - add as text only
- Ensure all fields contain a name in the <label>
- Add a consistently placed help button/link on each page
Where's the proof the solution worked?
Accessing the criteria again manually using the WCAG 2.2 guidelines showed that the issues had been resolved.
Areas to improve?
Not all criteria are easily understandable and so some were not assessed.
With further learning and knowledge of accessibility standards, I hope to be able to assess the next service more rigorously.
The full accessibility assessment
ERRORS TO FIX
Perceivable - can everyone see and hear content?
Alternative text must be present for all images. #Developer task
All <aria> need child <tags>. #Developer task
Contrast ratio needs to be 4.5:1 for all buttons, icons etc.
Some text cannot be resized. #Developer task
Images of text should be replaced with just text - for screen reader functions.
Line height should be 1.5x font size.
Letter spacing should be 0.12x font size.
Buttons should show additional content on focusing. #Developer task
Operable - can everyone use it?
All targets must be at least 24px x 24px.
Images need a name in their <label> tag. #Developer task
Understandable - can everyone understand it?
Add a consistent help button/link on every page.
Robust - is it compatible with any tools used?
All aria need child labels. #Developer task
mirunaalini.alagarajah@gmail.com
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