Websites & patient experience · Practical guide

Explain who can answer questions about shared premises

A person contacts the host practice about a provider using another room. Reception can give building directions but cannot access that provider's diary or invoices. Questions about a shared building may concern parking, access or facilities that practice staff do not control. Explain which team can help with the particular issue and provide verified contact information where appropriate.

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 boundary between premises information and provider-specific administration. Use the same organisation names shown on appointment confirmations so visitors can identify the correct contact.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A therapy centre gives the building reception number for arrival help, then directs patients to their own provider for appointment changes. The wording explains why the two contacts have different roles.

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 host venue to confirm the distinction. Avoid making the visitor work out ownership from a list of logos; name the practical responsibility in the same language as their likely question.

Where the practice can help direct a visitor, say so without implying control of the building. The wording should make the practical contact useful while preserving the actual responsibility.

What to agree before publishing

Confirm which questions the venue answers and which the practice can help with. Parking management, shared facilities and building access may have different owners, but the visitor should see a practical contact rather than a lesson in property arrangements. Ask the host to check any number or link you publish. Where reception can direct somebody but cannot resolve the issue itself, describe that help accurately. This avoids a frustrating sequence of calls based on a website that suggests every question about the address belongs to the practice.

How to check the result

Visitors can route the question by its subject without understanding the centre's internal arrangements.

A mistake to avoid

Do not imply that the person at the entrance can view or amend every appointment taking place in the building.

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.

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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