Is Your Agency Holding You Hostage? Migration Without Mayhem for GP Practices and Healthcare Providers

Many GP practices and healthcare providers feel trapped by an underperforming website agency: slow updates, inflated invoices, poor accessibility, or a site that constantly breaks at busy times. The fear is that leaving will mean weeks of disruption, broken links on NHS profiles, lost online forms, or angry patients who can’t book appointments.

You can move without chaos.

With the right plan, website migration for a GP surgery or healthcare provider can be zero-downtime, compliant with NHS standards, WCAG 2.1 AA, and UK data protection rules, while actually improving performance, accessibility, and patient experience.

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Why Practices Feel “Held Hostage” – And Why You’re Not

Feeling stuck usually comes down to a few issues:

• The agency “owns” your domain, hosting, and content, and nothing happens without a support ticket.
• Small content changes (e.g. clinics, opening hours, staff profiles) take weeks and cost extra.
• The site fails accessibility checks, but you’re told fixing it will be “a new project.”
• Forms break, but no one notices until patients complain.
• You fear losing online prescription requests, eConsult/AccuRx links, or your NHS website listing.

In reality, you can migrate safely and gradually with:

• A clear content inventory and redirect plan.
• A staging environment for testing.
• Verified forms and inboxes before launch.
• A soft launch with a rollback plan.
• A simple, written service-level agreement (SLA) for timely updates and support.

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What Moves (And How): Content, Data, and Tech Stack

A safe migration starts with knowing exactly what you’re moving and what can stay where it is. For UK healthcare sites, that usually includes content, integrations, and technical infrastructure.

Content and Structure: Pages, Posts, and Navigation

Start by building a content inventory of your current site. This is non‑negotiable.

• Clinical service pages (e.g. chronic disease management, immunisations, mental health)
• Practice information (opening hours, parking, accessibility, staff, practice boundary)
• Policies and patient information (privacy notice, complaints, chaperone, DNA policy)
• Online services pages (NHS App, online consultations, repeat prescriptions, test results)
• News/Updates and patient communications
• Regulatory content (CQC information, NHS branding, accessibility statement)

Practical steps

• Export all URLs from your current CMS or via a crawler (e.g. a simple site scan).
• Classify each page:
  • Keep as‑is (minor edits only)
  • Rewrite/modernise
  • Merge with another page
  • Retire (but redirect)
  • Note any high‑value pages (traffic, key patient journeys, linked from NHS or ICS websites).

This inventory becomes the blueprint for your new site and for your redirect map.

Design, Layout, and Accessibility

Migration is the ideal moment to fix accessibility issues and bring the site in line with:

• WCAG 2.1 AA as required for public sector bodies.
• The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
• NHS service design expectations: simple language, clear journeys, mobile-friendly.

Prioritise:

• Proper heading structures (H1–H2–H3) on service pages.
• High colour contrast and readable font sizes.
• Keyboard navigation and visible focus states.
• Alt text on images, especially where they convey clinical or directional information.
• Clear, consistent link text (avoid “click here”).

Technical Stack: Domain, Hosting, and SSL

You do not need to move everything at once. Focus on:

• Domain name
  Ensure the practice, not the agency, is the legal registrant of the domain (e.g. .nhs.uk or .org.uk). If they currently own it, plan a transfer to an account controlled by the practice or PCN/ICS.

• Hosting
  Move to a provider with:

• UK or UK‑appropriate data centres.

• Strong uptime guarantees (99.9%+).

• Daily backups and defined recovery times.

• SSL certificates included and auto‑renewed.

• Email and NHSmail
  If you use NHSmail as your main clinical and patient contact email, the website migration usually won’t alter this.
  If email is tied to old hosting, separate email from web hosting before migration to avoid downtime.

Third-Party Integrations

List every integration and how it connects:

• Online consultation tools (e.g. eConsult, AccuRx, Klinik)
• Appointment booking journeys (via NHS App, Airmid, Patient Access, MyGP)
• Online repeat prescriptions (via NHS App or third-party)
• Patient participation group (PPG) forms and surveys
• Practice newsletters or text reminder tools (e.g. MJog, accuRx, iPLATO)
• Embedded maps, social media feeds, and analytics

For each, record:

• Where the link or embed appears now.
• Any technical codes (scripts, widgets).
• Who supports it (supplier contact details).

In the new site, these are re‑implemented and tested on staging before launch.

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Redirect Map Made Simple: Keeping Patients and Search Engines On Track

Redirects prevent patients hitting 404 pages and protect your visibility on NHS and local search listings.

What Is a Redirect Map?

A redirect map is a simple spreadsheet that matches:

• Old URL → New URL
  For every page that changes address or is retired.

For example:

• /clinics/diabetes-clinic → /conditions/diabetes-care
• /news/covid-vaccines-autumn-2023 → /news/covid-vaccination
• /ppg → /get-involved/patient-participation-group

How to Build It (Without Overcomplicating)

Start from your content inventory and:

• Keep URLs the same if they already work well.
• For changed URLs:
  • Choose short, descriptive slugs (e.g. /opening-hours, /prescriptions).
  • Point each old URL to the closest relevant new page.
  • For removed content:
    • Redirect to the most relevant “parent” page (e.g. a general news archive, main service page).

Avoid:

• Redirect chains (A → B → C). Always go old → final new location.
• Redirecting to irrelevant pages – better to choose the nearest match than just the homepage.

Why This Matters for GP and Healthcare Sites

Proper redirects:

• Preserve links from:
  • NHS “Find a GP” / “Find a service” profiles.
  • ICB or Trust websites.
  • Local council and voluntary sector partners.
  • Protect search rankings for key patient journeys:
    • “GP near me”
    • “repeat prescription [practice name]”
    • “travel vaccines [town]”

All redirects should be 301 (permanent) and tested on staging before going live.

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Forms and Inbox Verification: No Missed Patient Requests

For healthcare providers, forms and inboxes are safety‑critical. A beautiful new site is worthless if prescription requests or clinical queries never reach you.

Identify All Forms and Submission Journeys

From your current site, list:

• Clinical or admin contact forms.
• Prescription or fit note request forms (if used).
• Registration forms (even if just a link to an NHS form or GP registration service).
• PPG sign‑up and feedback forms.
• Complaint or compliment forms.
• General contact or enquiry forms for private services (in multi‑service providers).

Record:

• Form fields (name, DOB, NHS number, etc.).
• Where submissions are sent (email address or system).
• Any confirmation messages and on‑screen wording.
• Any GDPR/consent text used.

Rebuild Forms to Meet UK Compliance and Good Practice

When recreating forms:

• Use clear disclaimers about what the form is for and response times.
• Keep clinical content minimal if the form is not integrated with your clinical system; signpost urgent issues to 999/111/best contact number.
• Ensure data is transmitted securely (HTTPS, SSL).
• Limit personal data to what is necessary for the task (UK GDPR, Data Protection Act principles).
• Add accessible labels, error messages, and keyboard-friendly layouts.

Test the Inboxes – Not Just the Form

Before launch, and again at launch:

• Send test submissions for every form.
• Confirm:
  • The message lands in the correct inbox (e.g. generic practice email, specific admin team).
  • It bypasses spam filters or is whitelisted.
  • Auto‑responses contain accurate information about response times and urgent care routes. Case example

A London GP practice migrated to a new provider. On staging, they tested:

• New “Non‑urgent admin request” form.
• PPG sign‑up form.
• Patient feedback form.

They discovered the admin request form was sending to a retired shared mailbox that no one monitored. Fixing this on staging avoided a serious post‑launch backlog and potential patient safety incident.

Build these checks into your weekly admin routine for the first month post‑launch.

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Soft Launch and Rollback Plan: Safety Net for Busy Practices

A “big bang” launch at 10am on a Monday is a recipe for stress. A soft launch gives you a safety net, especially for practices with high patient demand or complex service structures.

What Is a Soft Launch?

A soft launch is a controlled go‑live where:

• The new site replaces the old one outside peak hours (often evening or weekend).
• Key staff know it’s live and are ready to test.
• You have a clear, technically tested rollback path in case of major issues.

Patients still access the site as normal, but you treat the first 24–72 hours as a monitored transition period.

How to Plan It

Timing

• Choose a low‑traffic period:
  • Weekday evening (e.g. after 8pm) or
  • Weekend slot, avoiding known peak online demand.
  • Avoid:
    • Flu or COVID campaign launch weeks.
    • Planned phone or clinical system upgrades.
    • CQC inspection windows if known.

Rollback Plan

Agree in advance:

• What counts as a “show‑stopper” (e.g. forms not sending, 500 errors, broken home page).
• How you will revert:
  • DNS changes back to old hosting, or
  • Re‑deploy old site backup on new hosting.
  • Who has access:
    • Domain registrar logins.
    • Hosting control panel.
    • Emergency contacts at the new provider.

Practice staff should know who to call and in what order if something critical fails.

Internal Soft Launch Checklist

During the soft launch window, have a named person (or small group) run through:

• Home page, main navigation, footer links.
• Online services journeys (NHS App, eConsult/AccuRx, prescription services).
• Forms and inboxes.
• Accessibility basics (zoom to 200%, keyboard tabbing, screen reader spot‑check if possible).

Record issues and prioritise fixes before the Monday morning rush.

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Post-Launch Checks in Week 1: Trust but Verify

The first week is about monitoring and rapid adjustment, not just “we’ve launched, job done.”

Technical and Performance Checks

Across the first week:

• Check error logs and 404 reports.
• Verify uptime; investigate any extended downtime.
• Confirm SSL certificate is valid and trusted by all common browsers.
• Review page load times on mobile and desktop; optimise large images or scripts.

Submit an updated XML sitemap to search engines and check indexing status once the site has been live for a few days.

Accessibility and Content Checks

Review key pages against your accessibility and patient information duties:

• Confirm your Accessibility Statement is live, up to date, and easy to find.
• Check that:
  • Phone numbers are correctly formatted and clickable on mobile.
  • Opening hours, bank holiday arrangements, and contact options are accurate.
  • Urgent care messaging is consistent (999, 111, local urgent care centre).
  • If you operate across multiple sites or services, check each location’s details.

Invite a small group of staff, and if possible PPG members or carers, to spot issues in real‑world use.

Patient Feedback and Call Pattern Monitoring

Ask reception/admin staff to note any patient comments:

• “I couldn’t find X on the website.”
• “The form didn’t work.”
• “The phone number on Google is wrong.”

Quickly cross‑check:

• Your website.
• Google Business Profile.
• NHS “Find a GP / Find a service” listing.
• Local partner websites (ICB, Trust, council).

Adjust content and links early to prevent confusion becoming entrenched.

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Agreeing a Clear SLA for Updates and Support

Migration is not just a technical exercise; it’s an opportunity to insist on a grown‑up support relationship with your new provider.

What to Include in Your SLA

Response and resolution times

• Critical issues (site down, forms failing):

  • Max response time (e.g. 1 hour).
  • Target resolution or workaround time (e.g. 4 hours).
  • High priority (broken navigation, incorrect urgent care message):
    • Same or next business day response.
  • Routine content changes (e.g. staff updates, clinics, seasonal campaigns):
    • Agreed turnaround (e.g. 2–5 working days) if you don’t self‑manage content. Change process

• How you submit change requests (ticketing system, email, portal).

• Who is authorised to request changes (PM, deputy, digital lead).

• How major structural changes are quoted and agreed.

Compliance and accessibility

Ensure the SLA states that:

• The site will be maintained to WCAG 2.1 AA as a minimum.
• Accessibility and performance regressions introduced by their changes will be fixed at their cost.
• Security patches and platform updates are applied within agreed timeframes.

Ownership and exit

Clarify:

• You retain ownership of:
  • Domain (where possible).
  • Content and assets (text, images, documents).
  • What happens if you leave:
    • What data and assets you get and in what format.
    • Any exit or handover fees and timeframes.

This prevents a repeat of the “hostage” situation later.

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Key Takeaways

• You are not trapped by your current provider; a structured migration can be completed with no downtime for patients.
• A content inventory and redirect map are essential to protect patient journeys and search visibility.
• Forms and inbox testing is safety‑critical; test before, during, and after launch.
• A soft launch with a rollback plan reduces risk and stress for the practice team.
• The first week after launch should include structured technical, accessibility, and patient feedback checks.
• A clear, written SLA ensures responsive support, compliance with NHS and accessibility standards, and prevents repeat “hostage” scenarios.

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Next Steps for Your Practice

To move from feeling “held hostage” to being in control, you can start today with a few practical actions: 1. Audit your current position

• Create a basic content inventory and list all forms and integrations.
• Check who owns your domain and where your site is hosted.
• Note any urgent issues (broken forms, accessibility problems, inaccurate information).

2. Specify your migration requirements

• Zero‑downtime migration with a staging environment.
• Full redirect mapping from old URLs to new.
• End‑to‑end testing of forms and inboxes.
• A soft launch window and clear rollback plan.
• Ongoing SLA that supports NHS, WCAG, and UK data protection requirements.

3. Involve the right people

• Appoint a digital lead (PM, practice manager, or comms lead) as a single point of contact.
• Engage your PPG or a small patient group to help test clarity and accessibility.
• Coordinate with your PCN, ICB, or Trust digital team where relevant.

4. Choose a provider who welcomes scrutiny

• Ask for examples of previous NHS/healthcare migrations.
• Request to see:
  • A sample redirect map.
  • A sample launch and rollback plan.
  • A sample SLA including accessibility commitments.
  • Make sure they are comfortable with independent accessibility and security checks.

Handled properly, migration is not a disruption but an opportunity to improve compliance, patient experience, and your practice’s digital resilience—without mayhem, and without ever feeling “held hostage” again.