Websites & patient experience · Practice guide

Make the current leaflet easy to identify

Illustrative situation

When several versions of a leaflet remain online, a patient cannot know which one to trust. Identify the current approved document clearly and decide what should happen to older links. Ask the content owner to confirm the status, especially where service instructions have changed. A filename ending in “final-new” is not a meaningful explanation for the public.

Healthcare website and appointment calendar displayed on devices at an empty clinic reception.
Make the website useful for the people who use your practice.

What this means for your practice

Use clear titles, ownership and version handling for downloadable material. Clinical content should follow the provider's review process; the website should make status understandable.

An example to discuss with your team

Open an old document link and inspect how its status is explained.

Healthcare website design showing connected desktop and mobile service and enquiry layouts.
Make the service and next step clear on every screen.
Healthcare website accessibility illustrated by a focus outline, keyboard key, contrast samples and form.
Review keyboard access, contrast and understandable form fields.

A practical example

For example, a revised visit pack should be linked consistently from the service page and booking message. An older saved link needs appropriate treatment so it does not silently present superseded instructions as current. Ask your supplier to demonstrate that route. A good result makes the approved information obvious and gives the team a manageable way to replace future editions without scattering more copies across the site.

Keep older files from appearing equally current in the download list. The appropriate treatment depends on the content, but the public distinction should be clear. Ask the owner what a patient using a saved older copy needs to know and agree a useful route to the current information.

Make this improvement work

Give each download a recognisable title, current status and responsible owner. Readers should not need to compare obscure filenames to decide which instructions apply. Ask the supplier to demonstrate how an old saved link behaves after replacement and how archived material is distinguished from current guidance. Follow the provider's review process for clinical content rather than treating upload date as approval. Include the library listing and any service-page links in the check. Keep a route for reporting a doubtful document. The practical aim is for visitors and staff to identify the intended version confidently wherever they enter the download journey.

How to check the result

Track outdated downloads still linked from active pages.

Turn reading into a next step

Your action checklist

Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.

Checks to discuss

Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.

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Further reading

These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.

Related guides

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