Is Your Website Working? A Plain-English Scorecard for GP Practice Owners

Running a busy NHS GP practice leaves very little time to “talk tech” about your website. But your website is now one of your main front doors. If it works well, it can reduce phone pressure, support safe access, and improve patient experience and compliance with NHS and accessibility standards.

This plain-English scorecard gives you five simple numbers to check each month. No jargon, no dashboards to build. ClinicWeb sends them to you by email so you can see, in 15 minutes, whether your website is helping or hindering your practice.

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The Five Numbers to Watch

These five numbers are designed for practice owners and managers, not IT teams. They keep you aligned with NHS access goals, digital standards, and patient needs, without drowning you in data.

1. Homepage Task Clicks

This is the number of times patients click the main “jobs” on your homepage in a month – for example:

• Request an appointment / online consultation
• Order a repeat prescription
• Get a sick note / fit note
• See test results
• Self-care or local pharmacy advice

Higher homepage task clicks usually mean:

• Patients are finding what they need quickly
• Your homepage signposting is clear and simple
• You are directing patients towards digital routes instead of calls where appropriate

If this number is low, patients may be:

• Getting lost in the menu
• Giving up and phoning instead
• Going to non‑NHS sites or out‑of‑date advice pages

2. Phone Calls Reduced

This is a simple comparison between:

• Typical monthly call volume before the website changes or campaigns
• Current monthly call volume

You are not aiming to stop people calling who need to speak to you. You are aiming to reduce avoidable calls, such as:

• “How do I order my prescription?”
• “What are your opening hours?”
• “Do you have a complaints form?”
• “How do I register or change my address?”

When your website is clear, up to date, and easy to use, these routine questions should shift online. That aligns with NHS digital and access strategies and frees reception for clinical and complex queries.

3. Form Completions

This counts the number of online forms patients successfully submit, for example:

• Online consultation triage forms (e.g. using your approved tools)
• Registration forms
• Repeat prescription requests (where online)
• Admin requests (letters, test results queries, fit notes, reports, referrals)
• Compliments and complaints

More quality form completions mean:

• Patients are using the digital pathways you’ve invested in
• Staff receive structured information, which can be safer and faster to process
• There is an audit trail that supports CQC expectations around governance and communication

4. Top Pages Visited

This is a short list of your most-visited pages each month, typically:

• Homepage
• Online consultation / appointments page
• Prescriptions page
• Opening hours and contact details
• “Meet the team” or “About the practice”
• Long-term condition or self-care information pages

Knowing your top pages helps you:

• Prioritise updates and checks for clinical accuracy
• Ensure key information matches NHS and local ICS guidance
• Make accessibility improvements (WCAG) where it matters most
• Spot surprises – for example, a sudden surge in travel vaccine page visits

5. Page Speed Grade (Simple Colour)

Instead of a technical score, ClinicWeb presents a simple “traffic light” grade:

• Green – Fast enough on mobile and desktop. Most patients can load pages quickly, even on slower connections.
• Amber – Could be improved. Some patients may struggle, especially on mobiles or in areas with poor connectivity.
• Red – Too slow. Patients may give up, which can push them back to phone and reduce digital inclusion.

Good page speed supports:

• Accessibility (WCAG success criteria around time, operability and mobile use)
• Patients who rely on older devices or slower connections
• Busy people trying to access the site quickly between other tasks

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A One-Page Printable Scorecard

You can use the ClinicWeb email directly, and also print a one-page scorecard for your wall, meeting room, or practice dashboard.

Sample Monthly Scorecard (One Page)

Practice Name: ____________________
Month: ____________________

1. Homepage Task Clicks

• This month: ______
• Last month: ______
• Target or “good” range: ______

2. Phone Calls Reduced

• Calls last month: ______
• Calls this month: ______
• Change (up/down): ______

1. Form Completions

• Online consultations: ______
• Registrations: ______
• Repeat prescriptions: ______
• Admin requests (letters/results/other): ______
• Total forms completed: ______

4. Top Pages Visited

• #1: ____________________
• #2: ____________________
• #3: ____________________
• #4: ____________________
• #5: ____________________

Any concerns or surprises?

• Notes: ___________________________________________________

1. Page Speed Grade (Colour)

• Overall grade: Green / Amber / Red
• Priority pages (home, appointments, prescriptions): Green / Amber / Red

Quick Notes / Actions

• What worked well this month? ______________________________
• What needs changing? _____________________________________
• Who will do it? ____________________ by ________________

Print this and bring it to your next partners’ or operations meeting. It keeps the conversation grounded, practical, and non-technical.

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How to Read the Scorecard in 15 Minutes

You do not need an analyst. Once a month, set aside 15 minutes with your practice manager or digital lead.

Step 1: Look for Traffic Lights and Arrows (5 Minutes)

Focus on direction, not perfection.

• Are homepage task clicks going up, steady, or down?
• Are form completions going up, steady, or down?
• Are avoidable phone calls going down?
• Is the page speed grade Green, Amber, or Red?

If most arrows are up (or steady) and speed is Green/Amber, your website is likely doing its job.

Step 2: Check Your Top Pages (5 Minutes)

Look at the top five pages.

• Are these the pages you want patients to use?
• Do they support the access routes agreed in your practice protocols?
• Are they clinically accurate and in line with current NHS guidance?
• Is the information readable and accessible (plain English, large enough text, clear headings, high contrast)?

If a page features in the top five, treat it as “high-risk” if out of date, unclear, or not accessible.

Step 3: Pick One Small Action (5 Minutes)

Avoid turning the scorecard into a long wish list. Choose one small change to implement before the next month’s email. For example:

• Improve homepage signposting (clear buttons for “Request an appointment”, “Order a prescription”)
• Simplify a key form
• Update opening hours and contact details
• Add a short “How to use online services” guide
• Remove outdated COVID guidance and link to current NHS pages instead

Document the action, assign a name, and set a simple deadline.

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What to Change When One Number Dips

Scores will move. The aim is not a perfect scoreboard; it is a reliable early warning system. Here is a plain-English guide to what to check.

If Homepage Task Clicks Drop

Possible causes:

• Homepage is cluttered or confusing
• Important tasks are below the fold (patients must scroll)
• A recent design or content change has hidden key buttons
• Buttons use unclear wording (e.g. “E-services” instead of “Request an appointment”)

What to do

• Move key tasks to the top of the homepage – visible on a mobile screen without scrolling
• Use clear, patient language:
  • “Request an appointment”
  • “Order a repeat prescription”
  • “Get a sick note / fit note”
  • Check that every key task appears as a prominent button, not buried in text
  • Make sure all links work and go to the correct forms or services Case example

A London practice noticed homepage task clicks dropped after they added a large news section at the top of the page. Patients had to scroll past it to find online consultation links. They moved the news below the main task buttons. The next month, homepage task clicks recovered and calls asking “How do I contact the GP?” reduced again.

If Phone Calls Increase Again

Possible causes:

• Online forms are confusing or too long
• The website wording is unclear or contradictory
• Patients cannot find simple information (opening hours, repeat prescription rules, registration process)
• Temporary issues (e.g. form downtime) push patients back to the phone

What to do

• Ask reception for the top 3 “simple” questions they are still getting
• Make sure each one has a clear, visible answer on the homepage or a linked page
• Add a short “Before you call us” section that signposts:
  • Common tasks patients can do online
  • Self-care and pharmacy for minor illness
  • Check that online consultation and e-triage tools are available and clearly signposted during your advertised hours

If Form Completions Fall

Possible causes:

• A form is broken, timing out, or not mobile-friendly

• Patients do not understand which form to use

• Clinical or reception staff are discouraging online use due to backlog or confusion

• Patients have lost trust (e.g. forms not acknowledged, unclear response times) What to do

• Test the top three forms yourself on a smartphone

• Reduce unnecessary questions, especially on admin forms

• Add clear expectations:

  • “We aim to respond within X working days”
  • “Use this form for non-urgent queries only. Call 999 or 111 as appropriate in an emergency.”
  • Train reception to offer online options as part of your access model, not as a barrier

Case example

A rural practice saw a sudden drop in registration form completions. On testing, the form would not submit on iPhones. Their supplier fixed the technical issue; the next month, registrations online returned to normal and reception reported fewer paper forms to process.

If a Top Page Becomes a Problem

If a particular page sees high traffic and a rise in complaints or confusion, treat it as a priority.

Common issues:

• Travel vaccines or private services pages containing outdated information

• Long-term condition pages with non‑NHS or old advice

• Conflicting instructions on how to access urgent on‑the‑day care What to do

• Compare your content with current NHS website guidance and local ICS materials

• Use short, plain-English summaries and then link to official NHS sources for detail

• Ensure any self-care advice, triage guidance, or signposting aligns with local protocols and does not create clinical risk

If Page Speed Goes Amber or Red

Possible causes:

• Large or uncompressed images
• Heavy embedded videos or third-party widgets
• Very long pages with many images or scripts

What to do

• Ask your web supplier to:
  • Compress or resize images
  • Remove unnecessary scripts and heavy widgets
  • Check mobile optimisation
  • Prioritise speed fixes on:
    • Homepage
    • Appointments / online consultation page
    • Prescriptions page

A faster site supports digital inclusion and helps you meet WCAG expectations around performance and accessibility.

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A Simple Quarterly Tidy-Up Plan

Monthly checks keep you on track; quarterly reviews keep you compliant and tidy. Set aside 45–60 minutes once a quarter with your practice manager, digital lead, and (if possible) a clinical representative.

Quarter 1: Access and Safety

Focus on key access and clinical risk areas.

• Check urgent and emergency advice:
  • Clear signposting to 999 and NHS 111
  • Clear explanation of on‑the‑day access routes
  • Review online consultation pathways:
    • Wording aligns with your clinical triage model
    • Safety messages are clear but not alarming
    • Ensure information reflects current NHS access policies and local ICS arrangements

Quarter 2: Content Accuracy and NHS Alignment

Focus on clinical and service information.

• Check high-traffic clinical pages:
  • Long-term condition support
  • Vaccinations and immunisations
  • Screening information
  • Remove or update outdated content:
    • Old COVID messages
    • Retired services or clinics
    • Link out to current NHS and local ICS resources instead of duplicating detailed clinical guidance

Quarter 3: Accessibility and Inclusion (WCAG and UK Regulations)

UK public sector bodies, including NHS GP practices, must comply with accessibility regulations. Your site should aim to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

Focus on:

• Text and readability:
  • Clear headings and short paragraphs
  • Good contrast between text and background
  • Avoiding jargon where possible
  • Navigation:
    • Consistent menu structure
    • Logical order for links and buttons
  • Assistive technology:
    • Check that key pages are usable with keyboard navigation
    • Ensure images have meaningful alt text, especially on key pages
  • Language support:
    • Signposting to interpreting services
    • Clear explanation of how to get help if English is not a first language

ClinicWeb can use the scorecard data to highlight which high-traffic pages should be prioritised for accessibility improvements first.

Quarter 4: Patient Experience and Engagement

Use both website data and patient feedback.

• Compare your scorecard with:
  • Recent GP Patient Survey comments (where relevant to online access)
  • NHS website reviews about your practice
  • Identify friction points:
    • Complaints about difficulty contacting the practice
    • Confusion about which service to use (GP, pharmacy, 111, urgent treatment centre)
  • Add or improve:
    • A simple “How to get the right care” page
    • A brief feedback form about the website itself
    • Clarity around response times for online requests

By the end of the year, you will have used the same five numbers to drive safety, access, inclusion, and patient satisfaction.

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ClinicWeb’s Monthly Scorecard Email

ClinicWeb’s role is to make this process automatic and painless for busy practice leaders. What ClinicWeb’s Email Includes

• The five key numbers:
  • Homepage task clicks
  • Phone calls trend (if you share call data or use an integrated phone system)
  • Form completions by type
  • List of top pages visited
  • Page speed grade (colour-coded)
  • A one-page scorecard view you can print or share
  • A brief “What this means” section in plain English
  • One or two recommended actions, prioritised by clinical risk and patient impact

How Practices Typically Use It

• Practice manager reviews the email in 10–15 minutes

• Key numbers and actions are added to the next partners’ or operations meeting

• One small action is agreed and assigned

• Over time, you can compare months and quarters without any extra work Benefits for GP Practices and Healthcare Providers

• Supports compliance with NHS digital and accessibility expectations

• Provides evidence for CQC around access, communication, and governance

• Reduces avoidable demand on the telephones

• Helps you target limited time and budget where it matters most

• Keeps website discussions focused on patient outcomes, not technical jargon

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Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Key Takeaways

• You do not need complex analytics – five plain-English numbers are enough for most GP practices.
• Homepage task clicks, phone call reduction, form completions, top pages, and page speed give you a clear picture of whether your website is pulling its weight.
• A 15-minute monthly review is enough to spot issues early and agree one small, realistic improvement.
• When one number dips, it usually points to a specific, fixable problem in signposting, content, forms, or performance.
• A simple quarterly tidy-up plan helps you align your website with NHS guidance, WCAG accessibility standards, and CQC expectations.
• ClinicWeb’s automatic monthly scorecard email keeps this process running with minimal effort. Next Steps for Practice Owners and Managers
• Decide who will own the monthly 15-minute website check (practice manager, digital lead, or partner).
• Start using the one-page scorecard – print it and bring it to your next practice meeting.
• Choose one small improvement to complete before the next ClinicWeb scorecard email.
• Plan your next quarterly tidy-up session, focusing first on access and safety.
• Use the scorecard over 3–6 months to build a simple evidence trail for improved access, patient experience, and digital inclusion.

By treating your website like any other clinical or operational tool—measured, reviewed, and improved in small steps—you can make it a genuine asset to your NHS practice, your staff, and your patients.