Websites & patient experience · Practical guide

Explain referral requirements before booking

The page invites everyone to book, but reception later asks some visitors for a referral. People have already chosen a time or paid before learning this requirement. A referral requirement should be clear before someone begins a booking enquiry. Explain the practice's approved route, who can answer questions and when the document is needed.

Read the guide Make your action list
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 to change

Describe the practice's verified referral rule before the booking invitation. Explain who can clarify an uncertain case without asking visitors to judge their own clinical eligibility.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A specialist service page explains that the initial appointment needs a referral received by the practice. Its booking invitation directs people without one to the team that can explain the booking process.

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.

Put it into practice

Ask the team to check the service description against the actual booking process. A visitor should not be encouraged to reserve an appointment first if the practice needs to review referral arrangements before that can happen.

Use the same referral wording in the booking introduction and service page. A booking button that appears unrestricted can undermine a careful explanation of the preliminary step elsewhere on the site.

What to agree before publishing

Ask the service owner to identify when the referral is needed and what the practice does after receiving it. Explain the initial route and the contact for uncertainty before the booking invitation. A website should not encourage people to reserve a slot first if the agreed process requires a preliminary review. Keep the service page and form introduction aligned. The patient needs to understand the first administrative action and what follows, without assuming that sending a document automatically confirms acceptance or an appointment.

How to check the result

A prospective patient can tell whether they are ready to request the appointment and what is missing.

A mistake to avoid

Do not describe a referral as optional simply because the online booking provider does not enforce the requirement.

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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