What to change
Identify the document's publisher and explain why the practice links to it. Have the responsible content owner confirm its relevance and any local information readers still need.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A service page links to an external organisation's general information leaflet and names that organisation. It separately provides the practice's booking and preparation route, so the two documents do not appear interchangeable.
Put it into practice
If visitors will leave your website, make that clear. Ask who checks that the document still exists and remains relevant to the service. A familiar logo beside a link should not make an old third-party leaflet appear to be a current personalised instruction.
Avoid changing the document's title in a way that disguises its origin. The label, surrounding explanation and file itself should make the producing organisation recognisable to the reader.
What to agree before publishing
Make the producing organisation visible in the link description and in any surrounding explanation. Clarify why the practice includes the document and whether readers are leaving its website to open it. Ask the responsible service team to confirm relevance, then agree who checks the link later. Do not rewrite the source's title into a practice-branded instruction if that disguises its origin. Patients should understand whose document they are reading and where local appointment questions should still be directed.
How to check the result
Readers understand who produced the material and what it can tell them about their own appointment.
A mistake to avoid
Do not relabel an external leaflet as practice guidance or imply endorsement beyond what the responsible team has approved.
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.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
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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