Cut Phone Calls by a Third: Turn Prescriptions, Appointments & Results into One‑Click Tasks

General practice is under intense pressure, with rising list sizes and fewer GPs per patient. At the same time, reception teams are drowning in avoidable calls – especially on Monday mornings. Yet most practice websites still behave like brochures, not tools.

This post shows how to redesign your homepage around patient tasks so that a significant chunk of repeat prescription, booking, results and admin calls become self‑serve clicks instead. We will focus on practical steps for UK GP practices and healthcare providers, with NHS and accessibility requirements in mind.

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Why “Patient Tasks” Beat “Practice Info”

From brochure website to digital front desk

Most practice sites still lead with welcome text, news, and long menus. Patients arrive with one simple job (“order my tablets”, “see if my results are back”) but have to:

• Read dense text
• Guess which menu to use
• Scroll through multiple pages
• Sometimes give up and phone instead

A task‑first homepage flips this: you present the core things patients want to do, in clear, one‑click cards, above the fold and in plain language that mirrors how they speak. Result: fewer calls, less frustration, and better digital access that meets NHS and WCAG expectations around simplicity, navigation and clear language.

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The Five Tasks Patients Look For First

Every practice is different, but analytics and call audits are remarkably consistent. For most UK GP surgeries, five tasks dominate both phone and online demand. The “Big Five” patient tasks

Repeat Prescription

• Book / Cancel Appointment Test Results
• Fit Note / Sick Note
• Travel Clinic / Travel Vaccinations

These map directly onto the routine admin and clinical queries that clog your phones, especially:

• Early mornings (same‑day or urgent booking)
• Lunchtime (working patients catching up)
• Late afternoons (chasing results or fit notes)

Once you know these are the “Big Five”, your homepage design becomes much simpler: everything else supports, but does not compete with, these tasks.

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One‑Click Task Cards on the Homepage

What is a task card?

A task card is a clickable block on your homepage that:

• Uses plain‑English labels (e.g. “Repeat Prescription” not “Medication Services”)
• Takes the patient straight to the correct form, online service, or clear instructions
• Works equally well on mobile and desktop
• Meets basic WCAG requirements (contrast, focus states, keyboard access, clear text)

Example layout (top of homepage):

• Repeat Prescription
• Book or Cancel Appointment
• Test Results
• Fit Note for Work
• Travel Clinic

Each card should be visually consistent and no more than a single line of text on smaller screens. Example: “Repeat Prescription” card

• Label: Repeat Prescription

• One‑line description: “Order your regular medicines online – no need to call.”

• Click goes to: your NHS App instructions, online services login, or secure repeat prescription form. Example: “Book / Cancel” card

• Label: Book or Cancel Appointment

• One‑line description: “Use online booking for routine appointments and cancellations.”

• Click goes to: your online consultation tool, GP Connect / NHS App booking, or appointment hub page.

By making these cards the first thing patients see, you are signalling: “You can do this yourself, right now – no need to ring reception.”

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What to Move Above the Fold (and What to Hide)

“Above the fold” is the part of your homepage visible without scrolling, especially on a mobile. For GP practices, what you place here has a direct impact on call volume.

Above the fold: must‑have elements

Your above‑the‑fold area should be ruthlessly focused on task completion and safe care.

Core items above the fold

• Emergency / urgent care notice
• Clear line: “Call 999 in a life‑threatening emergency.”
• Signpost to NHS 111 and local urgent care/minor injuries where appropriate.

The five main task cards

• Repeat Prescription

• Book / Cancel Appointment

• Test Results

• Fit Note

• Travel Clinic (or your fifth biggest task – e.g. “Self‑Help for Minor Illness”)

• Basic practice ID

• Practice name and logo

• Brief tagline if helpful (e.g. “Serving 10,000 patients in [Town]”)

No welcome paragraphs, no news carousel, no long sliders. Patients should be able to complete 70–80% of routine tasks from what they see immediately on screen.

What to push lower down (or hide behind links)

Many practice sites put low‑value or rarely used content near the top, forcing patients to scroll. Move this down the page or behind clear links.

Move below the fold

• Practice news and seasonal campaigns

• Long “About the practice” text

• Detailed team bios

• CQC report badges and extended statements

• Patient Participation Group information

• Policies and long forms index Hide in clear menus or hubs

• Full policy library (privacy, complaints, chaperone, etc.)

• Extensive condition information (better to link to NHS.uk or local ICS resources)

• Technical accessibility statement (needed for compliance, but not front‑and‑centre)

You still meet NHS and regulatory expectations by including these pages; you simply stop them competing with the key patient tasks.

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A Monday Morning Before/After: Calls vs Website Clicks

To make this concrete, here is a simplified example of how a task‑focused homepage can shift demand.

Before: busy Monday call log (8:00–11:00)

• 120 incoming calls
• 40 calls: repeat prescriptions (“Can I order my tablets?”, “Has my script gone to the pharmacy?”)
• 35 calls: appointments (“Book routine”, “Cancel this afternoon”, “Any nurse slots?”)
• 20 calls: test results (“Are my bloods back?”, “Do I need to see the GP?”)
• 15 calls: fit notes (“Can I extend my sick note?”, “Do I need to see someone?”)
• 10 calls: travel clinic (“Do you do jabs?”, “What do I need for Spain?”)

Reception is constantly juggling calls, queue times are long, and patients who must speak to someone struggle to get through.

After: task‑focused homepage (same Monday, three months later)

You redesign the homepage so the above‑the‑fold area has five clear task cards with one‑click routes to online services or concise instructions. You also promote the site in:

• SMS messages (“You can order repeat prescriptions online: visit our website and click ‘Repeat Prescription’.”)
• On‑hold phone message
• Posters in reception and dispensary

Three months in, your 8:00–11:00 snapshot looks like this:

• 80 incoming calls (a one‑third reduction overall)
• 15 calls: repeat prescriptions (complex queries only)
• 25 calls: appointments (same‑day and complex cases)
• 10 calls: test results (exceptions or escalations)
• 10 calls: fit notes (urgent / complex)
• 20 calls: clinical or safeguarding matters requiring human conversation

In the same window, your website analytics show:

• 160 clicks on Repeat Prescription
• 120 clicks on Book/Cancel Appointment
• 60 clicks on Test Results
• 30 clicks on Fit Note
• 20 clicks on Travel Clinic

Most straightforward admin is now handled digitally. Reception time is redirected to vulnerable patients, safeguarding concerns, and people who cannot use digital channels – which also fits NHS priorities around inclusive access.

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Designing Task Cards That Work for Everyone (Including Accessibility)

Task cards must not just be attractive; they have to be usable and accessible to WCAG 2.1 AA standards, which underpin NHS digital requirements. Label clarity

• Use plain language: “Test Results” instead of “Pathology Reporting”
• Add short helper text where helpful: “Find out how to get your results and what to do next”

Visual accessibility

• Sufficient colour contrast between text and background

• Big tap targets on mobile (44x44px or better)

• Visible focus outlines so keyboard and screen‑reader users can navigate Content clarity

• Each card leads to a page that:

  • States what patients can and cannot do online
  • Explains response times (e.g. “We usually issue repeat prescriptions within 2 working days”)
  • Uses bullet points and short paragraphs for people with low health literacy or cognitive impairments

By aligning with WCAG and NHS digital design principles, you not only reduce calls but also support your accessibility duty under the Equality Act and NHS contractual requirements.

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Measuring Impact: Calls vs Clicks

To justify changes and keep improving, you need simple, repeatable measurement. This does not require complex BI tools – just consistent habits.

Step 1: Establish a baseline

Over 2–4 typical weeks (avoid bank holidays and major system outages), record:

• Total incoming calls per day
• Rough categorisation (you can use simple tallies):
  • Repeat prescriptions
  • Appointments
  • Test results
  • Fit notes
  • Travel / vaccinations
  • Other clinical/admin
  • Average queue time or number of callers abandoned (if your phone system provides this)

At the same time, note your current website traffic:

• Total homepage visits
• Clicks on existing online services (if trackable)

Step 2: Add click tracking for each task

Ask your web provider or IT lead to:

• Enable analytics (e.g. Matomo, GA4, or your NHS/ICS‑approved alternative)
• Set up events for each task card:
  • “Click – Repeat Prescription”
  • “Click – Book/Cancel”
  • “Click – Test Results”
  • “Click – Fit Note”
  • “Click – Travel Clinic”

This allows you to see, week by week, how many times each task is started from the homepage.

Step 3: Compare before/after

After launching the new homepage and promoting it (SMS footer, on‑hold message, posters, new patient leaflet):

• Re‑measure call volumes and categories over another 2–4 week period
• Compare:
  • Total calls vs baseline
  • Proportion of admin calls (prescriptions, bookings, results, fit notes)
  • Website task clicks vs admin call volume

Many practices find:

• 25–40% reduction in routine admin calls within 3–6 months
• Higher use of NHS App / online consultations
• Better staff satisfaction scores (internal surveys)

Step 4: Feed learning back into design

If you see, for example:

• Very high clicks on “Fit Note” but still lots of calls
• Improve the fit note page: clearer eligibility, templates for employer letters, better timeframes.
• Low clicks on “Travel Clinic”
• Move it below the fold or combine with “Vaccinations & Immunisations”.

Data should drive small, regular tweaks rather than big, infrequent overhauls.

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Practical Examples of Task Pages

To maximise the effect of the homepage, each task card should lead to a well‑designed task page, not a wall of text.

Repeat Prescription page

• Clear statement: who can use it (patients on stable repeat meds)

• Routes:

  • NHS App (primary)
  • Online services login
  • Paper slip for people who cannot use digital
  • Timelines: “Prescriptions are usually ready within 2 working days.”
  • Safety messages: controlled drugs, urgent antibiotics, collection rules
  • Accessibility: plain language; list steps as bullet points Test Results page

• Explain the process:

  • How long most test types take (e.g. “Most blood tests: 5–7 days”)
  • That not all results require a call from the GP
  • Clear instructions:
    • “Check your results online via NHS App where available”
    • How and when to call if advised to do so
  • Safety net:
    • “If you feel very unwell or your symptoms are worsening, do not wait for results – contact us or NHS 111.”

Fit Note page

• Who needs a fit note and when (after 7 calendar days off work)
• Options:
  • Request extension of an existing fit note via online form or online consultation
  • New fit note may require an appointment or online consultation
  • Timelines and expectations:
    • “We aim to process fit note requests within 2 working days.”
    • Template text or downloadable self‑certification form for first 7 days

Each of these pages – when written clearly – prevents multiple “just checking” calls.

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ClinicWeb’s Done‑For‑You, Task‑Focused Homepages

ClinicWeb specialises in building patient‑task‑centred homepages for UK GP practices and healthcare providers, designed to:

• Reduce avoidable phone traffic
• Improve digital access and patient experience
• Stay compliant with NHS and WCAG requirements

How ClinicWeb approaches homepage design

Task‑first discovery

• Review your call logs and appointment data to identify the “Big Five” tasks for your specific population

• Prioritise tasks that:

  • Generate the most calls
  • Are safe and appropriate for self‑service
  • Align with your local pathways (e.g. PCN services, ARRS roles) Homepage built around task cards

• Above‑the‑fold design featuring your top tasks as one‑click cards

• Mobile‑first layouts to reflect real‑world patient usage

• Integrated routes into:

  • NHS App
  • Local online consultation platform
  • PCN services (physio FCP, social prescribing, pharmacy services)

Accessibility and compliance baked in

• Designs tested against WCAG 2.1 AA criteria
• Clear emergency and urgent care guidance
• Mandatory pages and notices included (privacy, accessibility statement, cookies, complaints)

Seasonal and ongoing updates

Patient needs and NHS priorities change through the year, and your homepage should reflect that without you having to constantly manage it. ClinicWeb’s seasonal updates

Winter pressures

• Emphasise flu and COVID vaccination booking
• Promote self‑care and pharmacy for minor illness
• Spring/Summer
• Highlight travel clinic, hay fever self‑care, and sun safety resources Exam and university season
• Signpost mental health support, contraception and sexual health services
• Local changes
• New PCN services
• Changes to appointment systems
• Temporary closures or building works

ClinicWeb manages these updates for you, ensuring that your key task cards and supporting content stay relevant, accurate and compliant without adding to your administrative workload.

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Key Takeaways

• A traditional, information‑heavy homepage drives patients back to the phones.
• Most patients visit your site to do one of a small number of repeat tasks: repeat prescriptions, book/cancel appointments, check test results, manage fit notes, or use services like the travel clinic.
• Putting clear, one‑click task cards above the fold can shift a large share of routine admin work from calls to clicks.
• Measuring impact is straightforward: track call categories and compare them with task‑card click data over time.
• Accessible, WCAG‑compliant design is not optional; it is central to safe, inclusive digital access in the NHS.
• Partnering with a specialist like ClinicWeb lets you implement and maintain a task‑focused, compliant, seasonally updated homepage without extra strain on your team.

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Next Steps for Your Practice

If you want to cut calls and improve digital access, start small but act deliberately.

Immediate actions (this month)

• Audit a week of calls

• Tally how many relate to: repeat prescriptions, appointments, results, fit notes, travel.

• Look at your current homepage

• Can a new patient immediately see how to do those five tasks?

• If not, identify what’s taking up the most space above the fold.

• Talk to your web provider

• Ask for five prominent task cards and event tracking for each. Medium‑term actions (next 3–6 months)

• Rewrite your top five task pages in plain English, aligned with your clinical policies.

• Promote online options in:

  • SMS campaigns
  • On‑hold messages
  • Posters and TV screens in reception
  • Monitor call vs click volumes and adjust homepage prominence as needed.

Partnering with ClinicWeb

ClinicWeb can:

• Analyse your demand and design a task‑centred homepage optimised for UK general practice
• Build and maintain accessible, WCAG‑compliant task pages linked to NHS and local digital tools
• Provide seasonal and reactive updates so your site always reflects current priorities and pathways

By turning your homepage into a digital front desk built around patient tasks, you can realistically cut routine calls by a third – while making access clearer, fairer and more sustainable for both patients and staff.