Patients arrive with a task, not to browse
Most visitors want to book or cancel an appointment, order a prescription, get test results or register. A good medical practice website puts those tasks first, in plain English.
Healthcare website design guide
Medical practice website design: what healthcare websites need
Healthcare website design is different from designing for a shop or a business. This guide explains what a UK medical practice website has to do well, and what to check before choosing a supplier.
Why it is different
Four things that set medical practice websites apart
Public sector accessibility rules apply
NHS GP practices fall under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018, so the site needs to be designed and tested to WCAG 2.2 AA and carry an accurate accessibility statement.
Content changes constantly
Opening hours, closures, staff, clinics and seasonal campaigns change every month. The design has to make updates easy — or someone has to handle them for you.
It must connect to NHS tools
Online consultation, triage, prescription requests and NHS App links need to sit clearly on the site so patients use them instead of phoning.
Choosing a supplier
What to ask a healthcare website designer
Use this list when comparing quotes for a surgery or medical practice website.
- Designed specifically for GP practices or primary care, not a generic template
- Accessibility tested against WCAG 2.2 AA with a published statement
- Hosting, security and backups included
- Content updates handled for you, without per-change charges
- Migration from your current provider, with old addresses redirected
- Clear annual price with no hidden setup fees
Simpliy provides GP practice website design and primary care network websites for £550 a year. Read the NHS GP website requirements or see our example websites.