What to change
Identify the tasks the pack served and provide current information for those tasks. Explain the replacement in patient terms rather than focusing on internal document housekeeping.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A practice replaces a broad brochure with current pages for arranging a visit, understanding fees and finding the branch. The old pack's reference page points readers to those specific tasks.
Put it into practice
If the replacement is a web page, make the key instructions easy to print or revisit. Ask the team what patients use the pack for before retiring it, so a tidier download library does not remove something people relied on.
Keep the replacement's purpose clear in the link text. Readers following an old pack link should know whether they are opening equivalent information, a shorter summary or a different resource.
What to agree before publishing
Identify why people used the old pack: preparing for a visit, comparing services or finding a form. Its replacement should preserve those useful tasks, even if the format changes. Give readers a specific route to the current information rather than a general homepage link. Ask the team to inspect active emails and printable materials that still reference the retired pack. Where a saved link remains in circulation, its destination should make the relationship between the old resource and replacement clear.
How to check the result
Someone seeking the familiar pack can still find the information needed to make their next decision.
A mistake to avoid
Do not redirect every old document request to a homepage that gives no explanation of where its useful content went.
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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