Websites & patient experience · Practical guide

Let visitors continue naturally through newly loaded items

A Load more action can append items while leaving keyboard users unsure where they begin. Moving focus to the page top is equally disruptive to someone exploring the 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

Ask your supplier to provide a clear continuation point when more items are added, preserving the place already reached and useful feedback about the change.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A visitor loads another group of resources and continues with the first new card, while the earlier cards remain in the same order above it.

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.

Why this matters to your practice

Loading more items should extend a list without making the visitor start again. Ask your supplier to demonstrate the moment new items appear and the next keyboard action. Someone should be able to continue from the new content rather than traverse everything already read. A concise count or completion message can help, while automatically reading every new description may be distracting. Check that the original place remains understandable on a phone, where added content can otherwise feel like an unexpected jump.

A practical review example

A visitor may read the first group of guides and activate Load more. Ask your supplier to show the next keyboard action and where the newly added content begins. The person should not need to traverse the entire earlier group again. On a phone, check that the visible place remains understandable as the list grows. A concise completion or count can help, while automatically announcing every new description may overwhelm someone who intended to browse the additional items at their own pace.

How to check the result

Accept when appended content is discoverable, existing position remains useful and the end of the collection is explicitly understandable.

A mistake to avoid

Automatically focusing the last newly added item can skip the entire group the visitor just requested.

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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