The 404 & Broken Link Sweep for GP Practices: Fix Patient Dead Ends in an Hour

Patients hitting dead links on your website is more than a nuisance: it can stop someone registering, booking an appointment, ordering a repeat prescription, or accessing urgent advice. A focused “404 & broken link sweep” is a quick, high-impact task your practice can complete in under an hour to remove these digital dead ends.

This guide walks UK GP practices and healthcare providers through a practical, repeatable routine:

• Run a quick crawl to find 404s and orphan pages
• Prioritise fixes based on revenue and clinical impact
• Add simple, safe 301 redirects
• Re-test and publish a short “What’s new” note for patients
• Keep an ongoing link hygiene log to stay on top of issues

The approach aligns with NHS guidance on clear error handling and supports WCAG accessibility principles by avoiding confusing “dead ends” and giving users clear next steps.

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Why broken links matter in primary care

The impact on patients and the practice

Broken links and 404 pages on a GP or healthcare website can:

• Block access to online consultation / triage tools
• Interrupt NHS App or other online services journeys
• Prevent patients from registering, updating details or booking appointments
• Cause frustration and increased telephone demand
• Undermine trust and patient confidence

From a compliance perspective, poor error handling and dead links can:

• Make content harder to navigate for disabled users, conflicting with WCAG requirements around robust, perceivable and understandable content
• Create inconsistency with NHS guidance on clear error pages and alternative paths when something goes wrong

A simple, well-structured 404 sweep helps you quickly remove or mitigate these problems.

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Crawl essentials: find your 404s and orphan pages fast

A “crawl” simulates a user (or search engine) clicking through all the links on your site to identify pages that fail, redirect oddly or are not linked from anywhere (orphans).

Step 1: Choose a simple crawling tool

You do not need a developer or expensive software. For most GP practices, the following options are enough: Low-tech quick checks

• Use your Content Management System (CMS) tools if available (e.g. some website platforms include a “broken links” report).
• Use a free online broken link checker and run it against your site’s main domain (e.g. https://www.yourpractice.nhs.uk).

More advanced (but still simple) tools

• Desktop crawlers (e.g. Screaming Frog SEO Spider in free mode) to:
  • Crawl up to a set number of URLs
  • Flag 404 and 500 errors
  • Highlight redirected URLs (301, 302)
  • Export the data to CSV for quick filtering

Work with your website provider or digital lead if you don’t have direct access to these tools.

Step 2: Define the scope for a 1-hour sweep

To keep this manageable, focus your crawl on high-value sections:

• Home page and primary navigation
• Appointments and online services pages
• Repeat prescriptions and medication pages
• New patient registration pages
• Contact / urgent care information
• Key patient information hubs (e.g. chronic disease pages, self-care resources)

In your crawler settings (or in your approach):

• Start from your home page URL
• Follow internal links only
• Limit to a sensible depth (e.g. 3–4 levels) to stay within an hour

Step 3: Identify 404s and critical issues

Once the crawl finishes, sort and scan results: Prioritise these issues

• 404 Not Found pages within any booking, registration, or online consultation journey
• Broken links to:
  • NHS App support content that no longer exists
  • NHS 111 or urgent care advice pages that have moved
  • Local ICB, PCN or hospital services you frequently refer to online
  • Orphan pages that are still live but not linked from anywhere important, where:
    • Content is out of date
    • URLs are confusing
    • Duplicates exist

Keep a simple list with columns such as:

• Broken URL
• Page where link appears
• Status (404, 500, etc.)
• Type of journey affected (booking, prescription, info only)
• Priority level (High / Medium / Low)

You will use this list to decide which issues to fix first.

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Prioritise by revenue and clinical impact

Not all broken links are equal. A missing PDF leaflet is inconvenient; a broken “Book an appointment” link is critical. For UK healthcare providers, “revenue” often translates into QOF performance, locum cost avoidance, and online access targets, while “clinical impact” relates to safety and access.

Step 1: Map broken links to key patient journeys

Look at each broken or redirected URL and ask: Which journey does this affect?

High-impact journeys

• Online or telephone appointment booking

• Online consultation or triage platforms (eConsult, Accurx, PATCHS, etc.)

• Repeat prescriptions and medication ordering routes

• New patient registration forms or instructions

• Access to urgent care guidance (NHS 111, same-day appointments, emergency advice)

• Signposts to mental health support, safeguarding, and crisis services
  Moderate impact journeys

• Condition-specific management pages (e.g. asthma, diabetes)

• Local referral pathways and self-referral services

• Links to NHS advice content (e.g. NHS website health A–Z)

Lower impact journeys

• News items or blog posts older than 2–3 years
• Old staff biographies or photo gallery pages
• Old campaign pages that are no longer active

Step 2: Prioritise by risk and operational impact

For each broken link, assign a priority: High priority

• Any 404 in a booking, prescription or online consultation path

• Broken links on pages that receive high website traffic (home page, “Appointments”, “Contact us”)

• Links for urgent or crisis contacts that fail or go to incorrect destinations
  Medium priority

• Links affecting self-referral or routine services (e.g. physiotherapy, talking therapies)

• Missing or moved NHS information pages for common conditions

Low priority

• Old news articles and expired campaigns
• Minor patient resources where alternatives exist nearby

This helps you focus your 1-hour sweep on issues that:

• Protect access and patient safety
• Support digital and access targets
• Reduce avoidable phone calls and complaints

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Redirects made simple: using 301s safely

Once you know which URLs are broken and which journey they relate to, the next step is to implement 301 redirects. A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines: “This page has permanently moved to a new address.”

Step 1: Decide when to redirect vs remove

Use a 301 redirect when

• The content has moved (e.g. /book-appointment-online → /appointments)

• You created a new, improved version of a page (e.g. updated “Repeat prescriptions” page)

• An external link you can’t control changed structure, and you have a new stable URL to direct to
  Do NOT redirect when

• The page content is no longer appropriate, safe, or accurate and there is no suitable alternative

• You are decommissioning a service permanently and don’t want users to assume it still exists

In those cases, ensure the 404 page itself is clear, accessible and explains what to do next.

Step 2: Where to set up redirects

Most GP and NHS-oriented website providers offer one of:

• A Redirects or URL forwarding section in the CMS (common in WordPress and custom healthcare CMSs)
• Server-level redirects configured by the hosting provider (you request changes via support)

Agree internally who is responsible for managing redirects: practice manager, digital lead, or external provider.

Step 3: How to choose the best destination page

For each broken URL, select the most appropriate and least confusing new destination:

Best practice mapping

• Broken old “Book online” page → New Appointments hub page with all methods (phone, online, NHS App)
• Broken form link for joining the practice → Latest Registration page or NHS registration guidance
• Broken link to old repeat prescription system → Current Repeat prescription or NHS App prescription page
• Broken external link to NHS health information → Closest equivalent page on the modern NHS website

When in doubt, redirect users to:

• A relevant section landing page rather than a generic home page
• A page that clearly explains next steps and alternative routes (online, phone, in-person)

Step 4: Keep redirects patient-friendly and accessible

To support WCAG and NHS clarity expectations:

• Ensure the destination page provides clear headings, plain English, and obvious next steps
• Avoid redirect chains (A → B → C). Try to redirect old URLs straight to the final page.
• Avoid “mystery redirects” to unrelated content – that confuses users and assistive technologies.

Where a 404 page must be shown, follow NHS-style error guidance:

• Explain what went wrong in plain language
• Offer clear next actions, such as “Go back to the Appointments page” or “Visit NHS 111 online”
• Do not blame the user, avoid jargon (“500 error”), and keep tone calm and neutral

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Re-test routine: confirm everything works and tell patients what changed

After adding redirects and updating links, a re-test ensures patients won’t keep hitting dead ends.

Step 1: Run a focused re-crawl

Repeat a smaller crawl focusing on the previously broken URLs and critical flows:

• Re-run your link checker or crawler for:
  • Appointments and online consultation pages
  • Repeat prescriptions and registration pages
  • Contact and urgent care information
  • Confirm that:
    • Formerly broken URLs now correctly 301 redirect to the right page
    • No new 404s or redirect chains appeared

Check a handful of key journeys manually using a browser and, where possible, a mobile device:

• Navigate to your site from Google and test popular paths
• Click through as a new patient trying to register
• Click through as a regular patient ordering repeat prescriptions

Step 2: Quick accessibility and content checks

To keep in line with WCAG and NHS digital standards:

• Check that any error or “page not found” messages are clear, descriptive and in plain English
• Ensure every key journey has visible, descriptive links (not just “click here”)
• Confirm pages reached via redirects still make sense when landed on directly (headings and introductions are clear for all users, including those using screen readers)

Step 3: Publish a short “What’s new” note

After a batch of link and journey improvements, add a brief update on your website. This helps:

• Build patient trust by showing you are improving access

• Reduce confusion when journeys move

• Demonstrate continuous improvement to commissioners and inspectors
  Example “What’s new” note

• Title: “Online access improvements to appointments and prescriptions”

• Content (adapt to your practice):

  • Summarise that you have updated and improved links to booking, online consultations, and repeat prescriptions
  • Mention that some old links now redirect to new pages or the NHS App
  • Invite patients to give feedback if they experience issues accessing online services

Place this in your News/Updates section and consider a short banner or homepage highlight for a limited time.

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Keep a link hygiene log

Broken links will always appear over time as external sites change, services evolve, and content is updated. A simple link hygiene log helps you stay ahead and makes each 404 sweep faster.

Step 1: Create a simple log template

Use a spreadsheet or shared document with columns such as:

• Date identified
• Source page (where the link appears)
• Broken URL
• Issue type (404, 500, redirect chain, out of date content)
• Journey affected (appointments, prescriptions, registration, information)
• Priority (High / Medium / Low)
• Action taken (updated link, 301 redirect, page removed, content updated)
• Date fixed
• Checked by

Store this in your shared drive and ensure it is accessible to the practice management and digital team.

Step 2: Build link checks into routine governance

To keep your site healthy:

• Add a quarterly broken link check into your website or digital governance plan
• Run a focused monthly mini-check for:
  • Appointments
  • Online consultations
  • Repeat prescriptions
  • Registration and contact pages
  • Include link health in your checks when:
    • You change online consultation providers
    • Your ICB or local services update URLs
    • National NHS services or pathways change

This supports both good digital hygiene and compliance with accessibility duties under the public sector accessibility regulations.

Step 3: Align with wider quality and safety processes

Use link hygiene to support broader quality objectives:

• Record high-risk issues (e.g. wrong crisis contact links) in your risk register if appropriate
• Highlight major fixes in practice meetings, particularly if they impact access or safety
• Refer to your improved digital access in CQC conversations and local access reviews

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Practical case examples

Case 1: Broken online consultation link

A practice changed online consultation providers but left old links and images on several pages. Patients clicking “Online consultation” hit a 404 on the old provider’s site and started calling the practice.

Actions taken in a 1-hour sweep

• Crawled the site and found all URLs containing the old provider’s domain

• Updated the main “Appointments” and “Contact” pages with the new system links

• Set 301 redirects from the old internal URLs to the new online consultation page

• Tested journeys from home page and Google search

• Published a “What’s new” note explaining the change
  Outcomes

• Phone complaints about broken online consultation links dropped

• More patients started using the new online route correctly

Case 2: Outdated referral and self-help links

A practice had multiple broken links to local IAPT and physiotherapy services after the ICB reorganised services and changed website URLs.

Actions

• Crawled the site focusing on the “Self-referral” and “Health and wellbeing” sections

• Logged each broken external link

• Liaised with the PCN / ICB web team to confirm new URLs

• Updated links on main condition and self-referral pages

• Added a short “Service access updated” note on the news page
  Outcomes

• Reduced patient confusion

• Fewer failed self-referral attempts

• Clearer signposting for staff to direct patients online

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Key takeaways

Core principles for an effective 404 & broken link sweep

Focus on journeys, not just pages

• Map errors to patient journeys (appointments, prescriptions, registration, self-referral)

• Fix what affects access, safety, and demand first
  Use 301s to keep patients moving

• Redirect old URLs to the most relevant, current pages

• Avoid dead ends whenever a safe, accurate alternative exists

Keep things clear and accessible

• Use plain English on error and journey pages
• Provide clear next steps and alternatives, especially where a service is unavailable

Make link hygiene routine

• Maintain a simple log
• Schedule regular checks for high-value journeys
• Communicate improvements to patients and staff

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Next steps: run your first 1-hour sweep

To put this into practice today:

• Choose a crawling method (CMS tool, free checker, or desktop crawler)
• Run a focused crawl on appointments, prescriptions, registration, and contact pages
• Log all 404s and broken links, then prioritise by impact on access and safety
• Implement 301 redirects and link updates for high-priority issues
• Re-test key journeys and publish a short “What’s new” note
• Set a recurring diary entry for a quarterly link hygiene review

By investing just an hour regularly, your practice can ensure patients are not blocked by digital dead ends, support NHS access and accessibility expectations, and provide a smoother, more reliable online experience for everyone who depends on your services.