‘Custom’ in Name Only: How Agencies Re‑Skin the Same Theme and Call It a GP Website

Introduction

Many GP practices are paying for “custom” websites that are little more than a re‑skinned theme: stock layouts, stock components, stock content. The result looks modern enough, but it does not reduce calls, improve access or support the real journeys your patients need every day.

In the UK, NHS England’s own guidance is clear: a GP website must be highly usable and accessible, focused on key patient tasks, and compliant with WCAG and public sector accessibility regulations. A pretty homepage with a carousel is not enough. Your website is now your digital front door, not your digital brochure.

This article explains how to spot the “custom theme” myth, what a truly patient‑task‑first site looks like, and how ClinicWeb’s approach and pricing model are designed to solve real GP workload problems, not just deliver another theme.

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The “Custom Theme” Myth in GP Websites

Stock theme tells vs. patient tasks

Most agency “custom builds” for GP practices follow the same pattern: a generic WordPress or page‑builder theme slightly tweaked with your logo, colours and a hero image of smiling people in scrubs. Underneath, the structure is identical to dozens of other sites.

Here are the tells that you are looking at a stock theme rather than a task‑oriented GP website:

• A large hero banner with vague messaging (“Caring for our community”) and a single “Learn more” button
• Carousel sliders that rotate through generic images or announcements
• A navigation bar built for generic businesses (About, Services, News, Contact) instead of NHS‑specific journeys
• Long scrolling pages of marketing copy rather than clear, actionable signposting
• Generic “Services” grids that mix clinical specialties and admin tasks with no clear pathway

From a patient’s perspective, none of this helps them:

• Request a repeat prescription
• Get test results
• Book or cancel an appointment
• Access the travel clinic
• Register as a new patient
• Submit an online consultation

NHS England’s guidance on GP websites emphasises seven of the most important journeys or tasks for patients and recommends structuring content and navigation to make those tasks effortless. It explicitly warns against over‑reliance on banners, generic content and decorative imagery and stresses that explanations should be linked directly to the actual task (for example, prescription advice linked to the online form or NHS app).

A “custom” theme that does not put these journeys front and centre is not custom in any meaningful sense. It is a skin.

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Why Carousels and Hero Videos Miss the Point

The problem with “design‑driven” homepages

Many agencies still pitch aesthetics first: full‑screen background videos, animated carousels, parallax scrolling. For GP practices and PCNs, these patterns actively work against patient needs and NHS standards:

• Accessibility and WCAG
  Moving carousels, autoplay video and heavy visuals can be difficult for users with visual impairments, cognitive load issues or motion sensitivity. They are frequently flagged as accessibility problems under WCAG 2.1/2.2 and the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations.

• NHS usability guidance
  Current NHS guidance recommends avoiding images and banners unless essential, removing pop‑ups and widgets, and focusing on clear text links and task‑based navigation. It encourages using NHS design components and patterns that have been tested with real users, not bespoke animations.

• Task discoverability
  Carousels bury content: only the first slide gets meaningful attention and key links move around the page. Patients looking for “repeat prescriptions” or “results” should not have to wait for slides or scan a video overlay; they need static, clearly labelled links.

• Performance and mobile experience
  Hero videos and oversized imagery slow down pages, particularly on mobile and slow connections. That leads to higher bounce rates and frustrated patients, often pushing them back to the phone queue.

In short, every pixel that isn’t helping a patient complete a task increases friction, workload and risk of non‑compliance. Good GP website design is service design, not visual decoration.

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Real‑World Journeys Your Site Must Support

Core NHS journeys that drive calls and workload

NHS England identifies a small number of journeys that account for the vast majority of patient interactions. For most GP surgeries, the 80/20 rule is clear: a handful of tasks drive most web visits and incoming calls.

At minimum, your homepage and top‑level navigation should make the following journeys unmissable: Accessing care and appointments

• Requesting an appointment (same‑day/urgent and routine)
• Cancelling or changing an appointment
• Accessing online consultation tools (e.g. eConsult, Accurx, Klinik, PATCHS)
• Understanding how and when to contact 111, 999 or pharmacy instead

Medicines and prescriptions

• Ordering repeat prescriptions (NHS App, online services, forms)

• Nominating or changing a pharmacy

• Understanding prescription processing times and when not to call

• Medication reviews and synchronisation processes
  Test results and follow‑up

• How and when you will receive test results

• Whether patients need to call, and if so, when

• What “no news is good news” means in your practice (if used, and how it is worded)

• How abnormal results are managed and communicated

Registrations and patient information

• Registering as a new patient (online forms, ID requirements, practice boundary)

• Updating personal details (address, phone, email)

• Registering for online services (NHS App, other portals)

• Carer registration and safeguarding guidance
  Practice‑specific services

• Travel clinic: when it runs, how to book, what forms to complete in advance

• Long‑term condition reviews: recalls, how appointments are scheduled

• Vaccinations: flu, COVID‑19, childhood immunisations

• Private or non‑NHS services (fit notes, reports, insurance forms), including fees

Access and inclusivity

• Accessibility information (building access, interpretation, translation)
• Digital inclusion options (how to access care if you cannot use the internet)
• Complaints and feedback routes

Each of these needs more than a line of text on a generic “Services” page. They require clear, consistent journeys: a named route from homepage to task completion, written in plain English, using NHS style guidance, and integrated with your existing tools.

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Stock Theme Tells vs. Patient‑Task‑First Design

How to audit your current site quickly

You can run a quick, practical test on your own practice website:

• Time how long it takes for a new patient to find “How do I request a repeat prescription?” starting from the homepage.
• Ask a colleague to find “How do I see my test results?” and “How do I cancel an appointment?” on their mobile phone.
• Count how many taps or clicks are required to:
  • start an online consultation
  • request a travel vaccination appointment
  • register as a new patient

If it takes more than 2–3 clicks, involves scrolling past big banners, or requires hunting through dense menus, you are seeing the impact of a theme that was not designed around NHS patient journeys.

A patient‑task‑first site reorders everything around these flows:

• Top navigation is limited and task‑based (Home, Appointments, Prescriptions, Test results, Self‑care, Practice information) in line with NHS guidance to keep primary navigation succinct.
• Homepage content prioritises key actions (Request appointment, Order repeat prescription, View test results, Contact us) as large, static, accessible buttons, not buried links.
• Search is tuned to patient language (“sick note”, “fit note”, “blood test”, “travel jabs”) rather than internal jargon, and surfaces the relevant task pages first.
• Task pages provide step‑by‑step routes, with direct links to forms or tools and minimal waffle.

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ClinicWeb’s Patient‑Task‑First Homepage

Designed around what patients actually do

ClinicWeb starts with a different question: What are the top tasks your patients attempt on your site every day, and how can we help them complete those without calling you?

A typical ClinicWeb homepage is structured around patient‑task zones rather than design flourishes:

Primary action panel

• “Request an appointment”
• “Order a repeat prescription”
• “Get test results”
• “Get help online now” (linking to your online consultation tool)

These appear above the fold on desktop and mobile, using plain language, NHS‑style buttons and clear icons. There is no carousel, no autoplay media, and no heading that doesn’t directly support a task.

Secondary support panel

• “I’m new – register with the practice”
• “I need urgent help” (with clear, compliant guidance on when to use 999/111/GP)
• “Cancel or change an appointment”
• “Travel clinic and vaccinations”
  Service status and messages

Rather than intrusive pop‑ups, ClinicWeb uses accessible service alerts at the top of the page for time‑sensitive changes (e.g. phone issues, temporary closure, flu clinic days), following NHS guidance on avoiding overlays and widgets that obstruct reading.

NHS look and feel, not generic branding

All ClinicWeb templates:

• Use NHS design components and recognised blue/white colour patterns, to build patient trust and align with NHS identity guidelines
• Are built to meet WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA and the UK’s public sector accessibility regulations from day one
• Follow the NHS content style guide for headings, reading age and clear language

This combination means your homepage is not just attractive; it is a tested front door that patients can use quickly and safely.

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Prebuilt Healthcare Components That Reduce Calls

Our patient‑task modules out of the box

Instead of giving you a blank canvas and a page‑builder, ClinicWeb provides healthcare‑specific modules that mirror real NHS workflows. These are not generic “text blocks”; they are structured, reusable components designed to reduce confusion and calls. Repeat prescription module

• Clear explanation of who can use which method (NHS App, online service, paper request, pharmacy ordering where appropriate)
• Integrated links to NHS App and online services
• Configurable rules for processing times and collection (e.g. “Allow 3 working days before contacting the practice”)
• Highlighted “Do not call for …” guidance, written in line with NHS content style
• Optional content for electronic repeat dispensing and medication reviews

Test results module

• Step‑by‑step explanation of how and when results are communicated

• Clear instructions on when not to call (e.g. “We will contact you if we need to discuss a result”)

• Configurable information for blood tests, imaging, and external hospital results

• Prominent signposting for urgent symptoms and safety‑netting
  Appointments and online consultation module

• Split flows for urgent/same‑day, routine, and admin queries

• Direct, above‑the‑fold links to your online consultation platform with simple language

• Clear explanation of telephone, face‑to‑face and online appointment options

• Opening hours and best times to call, designed to flatten peaks in demand

Travel clinic module

• Prebuilt travel assessment form or link integration

• Information on lead times (e.g. “Arrange at least 6–8 weeks before travel”)

• Separation of NHS and non‑NHS vaccines with clear information on charges if applicable

• Instructions on how results, prescriptions or appointments will be handled
  Registrations module

• Online registration form or NHS registration link with guidance

• Practice boundary map and explanation in plain terms

• Information on ID requirements and temporary registrations

• Clear expectations: how long registration takes, when you can book an appointment

Self‑care and local services module

• Space for signposting to pharmacies, IAPT/mental health services, social prescribing, local hubs, and NHS.uk condition pages
• Designed to encourage appropriate self‑referral and reduce unnecessary GP contact

Each module is:

• Built on tested patterns from NHS guidance and real practice usage
• Accessible, screen‑reader friendly and mobile‑optimised
• Easy for practice staff to update without breaking WCAG or layout rules

Instead of reinventing the wheel for each practice, ClinicWeb uses a library of proven healthcare components that can be configured to match your processes. This is how you get both consistency and local flexibility, without paying for “custom” builds that start from scratch (and repeat the same mistakes).

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Case Study: From Pretty Theme to Fewer Calls

A realistic example

Consider a fictional London practice, “Riverside Medical Centre”. They invested in a slick agency site with:

• A full‑screen hero video of the local area
• A rotating carousel of news items
• A complex mega‑menu mixing clinical specialties, news and policies
• A long “Services” page that lumps everything from travel vaccines to flu clinics together

The practice team noticed:

• High call volumes for repeat prescriptions and test results, even though online options existed
• Patients frequently calling just to ask “How do I…?” because they “couldn’t find it on the website”
• Accessibility complaints from visually impaired patients who struggled with moving elements and poor contrast

After moving to a ClinicWeb patient‑task‑first site:

• The homepage surfaced “Order a repeat prescription” and “Get test results” as primary actions.
• A standardised prescription module explained processing times and when not to ring, aligned with their internal protocols.
• The results module clarified that normal results would not trigger a phone call, and abnormal results would be proactively communicated.
• The carousel and hero video were removed; pages loaded faster and met accessibility checks.

Within three months, the practice measured:

• A reduction in simple prescription query calls
• Fewer “I’m just checking my test results are back” phone calls
• Better uptake of the NHS App and online consultation tools, evident in analytics

The site did not win an animation award. It freed clinical and admin time.

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Price Clarity Beats “Time & Materials”

Why GP practices lose out with open‑ended web projects

Traditional digital agencies often quote websites on a time & materials basis: an attractive low “from” price, then change requests, accessibility fixes, and integration work added as billable extras.

For GP practices and PCNs, this model causes predictable problems:

• Uncertain total cost
  What started as a modest project becomes expensive once you add accessibility remediation, integration with online consultation systems, or additional content templates for key NHS tasks.

• No strong incentive to re‑use proven patterns
  Every new layout is an opportunity to bill more design and development time, even if it has not been tested with patients.

• Ongoing compliance risk
  As WCAG and NHS guidance evolve, you may need further paid “tweaks” to remain compliant, with no guarantee your original agency understands NHS requirements.

ClinicWeb takes the opposite approach: transparent, healthcare‑specific pricing based on what you actually need to run a compliant, patient‑friendly site.

How price clarity works in practice

• Fixed‑scope packages that include:

  • NHS‑compliant design using NHS components and branding
  • Core patient‑task modules (appointments, prescriptions, results, registrations, travel, self‑care)
  • WCAG‑compliant templates and an accessibility statement
  • Integration links for your chosen online consultation and NHS App presence

• Clear, tiered options for:

  • Additional clinics (e.g. PCN enhanced services)
  • Multisite setups for PCNs and federations, with shared content where appropriate
  • Ongoing support and updates, including tracking NHS guidance changes

• No separate charge each time NHS England updates its guidance; templates are kept in line as part of the service, so you are not left scrambling or non‑compliant.

For practice managers, this means:

• You can budget confidently over multiple years.
• You avoid open‑ended projects that consume time and headspace.
• You are buying tested healthcare infrastructure, not paying to reinvent a theme.

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Key Takeaways for GP Practices and Healthcare Providers

What to remember when evaluating your website

• A “custom” GP website that is built from a generic theme and a page‑builder is not truly custom if it ignores core patient tasks.
• Carousels, hero videos and heavy visuals often increase accessibility risks, miss NHS digital standards, and do nothing to reduce calls.
• Your homepage and navigation should be organised around appointments, prescriptions, test results, registrations, and key services such as travel clinics and vaccinations.
• Prebuilt, healthcare‑specific modules like those in ClinicWeb offer the best of both worlds: tested, compliant patterns plus configuration for your local processes.
• Transparent, fixed‑scope pricing aligned with NHS requirements is safer than open‑ended time & materials models that reward re‑inventing the wheel.

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Next Steps and Conclusion

Practical steps you can take this month

You do not need a full redesign to start improving your digital front door. Begin with these actions: Quick self‑audit

• List your top 5 patient tasks (appointments, prescriptions, results, registrations, travel clinic).
• Count how many clicks and how much scrolling they require from your current homepage on mobile.
• Identify any carousels, pop‑ups, or decorative images that could be removed without affecting core tasks.

Content and accessibility review

• Rewrite key task pages (e.g. repeat prescriptions, test results) using NHS content style: short sentences, clear headings, no jargon.

• Publish or update your accessibility statement to reflect current WCAG compliance.

• Ensure there are clear routes for patients who cannot use digital channels (phone and in‑person alternatives).
  Supplier conversation

• Ask your current supplier how their templates align with the latest NHS GP website guidance and WCAG standards.

• Request evidence that the layouts used on your site have been tested against patient tasks, not just designed for aesthetics.

• Get clarity on pricing for future changes needed to stay in line with NHS and accessibility requirements.

If you recognise your current site in the “custom in name only” description, it may be time to move to a platform built for UK healthcare from the ground up. A truly patient‑task‑first website like ClinicWeb’s is not about flashy design; it is about making it easy for patients to do the right thing online, reducing avoidable calls, and keeping your practice aligned with NHS expectations.

Your website can either be another demand problem to manage—or a core part of how you manage demand safely and efficiently. The difference lies in whether it is a theme with your logo on it, or a genuine, task‑focused GP website.