Website Brief Template for Dental Practices & GP Surgeries

A clear, detailed website brief can save your practice months of delays, rework and frustration. It aligns partners, protects clinical time, and ensures your new site is safe, accessible and genuinely useful for patients.

This guide gives you:

• A copy‑paste website brief template for GP practices and dental surgeries
• A practical RFP email template to send to suppliers
• Advice on patient task priorities, content, accessibility, integrations and sign‑off

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Why a Strong Website Brief Matters in Healthcare

The risk of a vague brief

In UK primary care and dentistry, poor website projects usually share the same problems:

• Suppliers guess how appointments, prescriptions or referrals work at your practice
• Clinical content is copied from generic templates and not checked
• Accessibility and NHS standards are only discussed at the end
• Launch dates slip, then staff lose confidence in the site

A structured brief fixes this by:

• Capturing how patients really use your services
• Making clear what the supplier must deliver (and by when)
• Reducing back‑and‑forth and keeping sign‑off safe and efficient

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Copy‑Paste Website Brief Template (for GP & Dental Practices)

You can copy, paste and adapt this into a Word or Google document for your project.

1. Practice Overview

Provide a short summary so suppliers understand your context.

• Practice name and location(s)
• Type of organisation (GP surgery, dental practice, PCN, federation, multi‑site practice)
• List size / typical patient base (e.g. 13,500 patients; high proportion of students; care homes; high deprivation; high proportion of elderly etc.)
• Core services (e.g. general medical services, minor surgery, contraceptive services, routine and cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, etc.)
• Current website URL and main issues (e.g. hard to find appointments, not mobile friendly, difficult to update, accessibility concerns, outdated branding)

2. Project Goals

Explain what success looks like in plain language.

• Improve patient access to key tasks (e.g. book appointments, request prescriptions, complete forms)

• Reduce inbound phone calls for routine queries

• Comply with NHS England GP website guidance and WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards

• Make it easy for staff to update content without supplier support

• Provide clear information in line with the NHS content style guide

• Present a consistent, trusted NHS‑aligned design and/or practice brand Example goals

• Reduce “how do I get an appointment?” calls by 25% within 6 months of launch

• Ensure all task‑based pages (appointments, prescriptions, test results) are readable at age 9–11 reading level

• Achieve and maintain a passing accessibility audit against WCAG 2.1 AA

3. Patient Tasks and Priorities (By Service)

Your website is not primarily a brochure; it is a task engine. In this section, specify which patient tasks matter most and how they should work.

For GP practices – priority tasks

• Appointments
• See clear routes for booking or requesting: urgent same‑day, routine, chronic disease reviews, nurse/HCA, telephone/video, online consultation tool
• Know when to use NHS 111, 999 or local urgent treatment centres instead of the GP Repeat prescriptions
• Request via NHS App, Patient Access or other online services
• Understand how to nominate a pharmacy, ordering timescales and rules (e.g. no requests by phone)
• Test results
• Find how and when results are communicated
• Understand what to do if they haven’t heard back Sick notes (fit notes)
• Understand self‑certification vs MED3
• Submit a request form online with clear timeframes
• Registering with the surgery
• New patient registration process (with online and paper options)
• Catchment area map or description Contacting the practice
• Opening hours, phone numbers, eConsult/online consultation, practice address, accessibility information (parking, step‑free access, BSL interpreters etc.)
• Online services
• Clear explanation of what the NHS App, Patient Access or other tools can do and how to get started

For dental practices – priority tasks

• Book or change an appointment
• NHS vs private appointment options
• Urgent dental pain / emergency route
• Register as a new dental patient (if available)
• Process, waiting list information, NHS capacity
• Treatment information and costs
• NHS band charges and examples
• Private treatment options and pricing guidance Referrals and specialist services
• Orthodontics, sedation, oral surgery, cosmetic work
• Feedback and complaints
• Clear route to raise concerns or compliments

What suppliers must do

• Design navigation and homepage around top patient tasks (not organisational structure)
• Provide clear task‑based pages following NHS England templates for GP services where applicable
• Ensure every task description includes:
  • What the patient can do
  • How they can do it (phone, online form, NHS App etc.)
  • When they should not use that route and what to do instead

4. Site Structure (Page Map) and Content Responsibilities

Set out the initial page list and who provides content for each. Core GP practice pages

• Home
• Appointments
• Prescriptions
• Test results
• Sick (fit) notes
• Register with the surgery
• Contact us / Find us
• Managing your health online (NHS App, Patient Access, other tools)
• Practice information (team, opening hours, catchment area, accessibility, CQC rating)
• Policies and patient information (privacy notice, data sharing, complaints, practice charter)
• Clinics and services (e.g. asthma, diabetes, contraception, baby clinic, travel vaccines)

Core dental practice pages

• Home
• Treatments (NHS and private sections)
• Fees and payment options
• New patients / register
• Emergency appointments
• Meet the team
• Contact us / Find us
• Patient information (aftercare advice, FAQs, complaints, privacy, accessibility) Content ownership

Clarify which content the practice will provide and what you expect the supplier to draft.

• Practice will provide:
  • Clinical service descriptions that need local tailoring
  • Practice‑specific processes (e.g. triage, call‑back systems)
  • Local policies and legal notices
  • Supplier will provide:
    • Initial drafts for standard pages, aligned with NHS content style and NHS England templates (where available)
    • Micro‑copy and prompts on forms, buttons and error messages
    • Guidance on word count and plain‑English editing

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Technical and Design Requirements

5. Design, Branding and Accessibility

Specify design expectations early to avoid rework.

Design and branding

• Use NHS England’s recommended GP website design components or broadly follow NHS look‑and‑feel where required (for GP sites)
• For dental sites, ensure design supports trust, clinical professionalism and readability rather than heavy marketing banners
• Responsive design optimised for mobile as primary device
• Limit primary navigation to 5–6 items (e.g. Home, Appointments, Prescriptions, Online Services, Contact, About) Accessibility

State that WCAG compliance is not optional.

• Build to WCAG 2.1 AA minimum
• Provide an Accessibility Statement and explain how accessibility issues will be monitored and fixed
• Avoid reliance on PDFs for key information; use web pages instead
• Ensure:
  • Sufficient colour contrast
  • Keyboard navigation
  • Proper heading structure
  • Alt text for images
  • Clear link text (no “click here”)
  • Test content against NHS content style guidance and aim for reading age 9–11 for patient‑facing pages

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6. Functional Requirements and Integrations

Be specific about what must integrate and how.

Online consultation and forms

• Integrate with existing tools (e.g. Accurx, eConsult, Klinik, Anima) for GP practices

• Provide custom forms where needed (e.g. admin queries, fit notes, dental emergency triage)

• Forms must:

  • Use clear, plain language and chunk questions sensibly
  • Be accessible (labels, error messages, no mandatory CAPTCHAs that block accessibility)
  • Send notifications to defined practice email inboxes or systems
  • Comply with data protection and retention requirements NHS App and Patient Access

• Prominent links and explanations for:

  • NHS App – what patients can do (book, order prescriptions, view record)
  • Other practice system apps (e.g. Patient Access, SystmOnline, Airmid)
  • “Managing your health online” page explaining:
    • Which tool to use for which task
    • Step‑by‑step “how to get started”
    • Support routes for patients who struggle digitally

Other integrations

• Online booking systems for dental appointments
• Practice reviews/feedback (e.g. NHS.UK, Google Business Profile – if used, ensure moderation and response plan)
• Secure hosting, SSL certificate and data protection controls

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7. Performance, Hosting and Security

Define acceptable performance and security expectations. Speed and performance

• Target Core Web Vitals suitable for healthcare sites:
  • Fast loading on 4G and typical home broadband
  • Optimised images, minimal heavy scripts or unnecessary widgets
  • No intrusive pop‑ups or overlays blocking primary content
  • Avoid third‑party “accessibility overlays” in favour of building accessibility into the core design

Hosting and security

• UK or UK‑compliant hosting suitable for NHS organisations
• SSL by default (HTTPS everywhere)
• Regular security patching and backups
• Clear process and timescales for resolving critical issues (e.g. outage, security incident)

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8. Content Management and Training

Your team must be able to safely maintain content without constant supplier help.

• Site built on a secure, widely supported CMS (e.g. WordPress with hardening, or a specialist GP/dental CMS)
• Role‑based access so only authorised staff can edit content
• Simple page editor with support for headings, lists, links and images
• Training for at least 2–3 members of staff, including:
  • How to add/edit pages
  • How to add news/alerts
  • How to check basic accessibility
  • Provide short written or video guides for future staff

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9. Project Timeline, Process and Approvals

Clear timelines and sign‑off cadence keep the project on track. Indicative timeline

• Week 0–2: Discovery (current site review, analytics, stakeholder interviews, agreement of final brief)
• Week 3–5: Information architecture and wireframes
• Week 6–9: Design and build of templates and key pages
• Week 10–12: Content population and migration
• Week 13–14: Testing (accessibility, usability checks, browser and device testing)
• Week 15: Soft launch and final fixes
• Week 16: Public launch and post‑launch review

Sign‑off cadence

• Named Project Lead at the practice (often the Practice Manager or Business Manager)
• Clinical safety lead to review clinically sensitive content
• Governance / Data Protection lead to review privacy notices and data flows
• Agree response times:
  • Practice to review and feedback within 5–10 working days for each milestone
  • Supplier to apply changes and respond within agreed timescales

Key milestones requiring approval

• Site map and navigation
• Wireframes for homepage and key task pages
• Visual design (one or two design concepts)
• Final content on all patient‑facing core pages
• Pre‑launch accessibility check and functional testing

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10. Success Metrics and Ongoing Improvement

Define how you will measure value after launch. Quantitative metrics

• Reduction in calls for:
  • Appointment booking
  • Prescription queries
  • “How do I…?” questions
  • Increase in:
    • Online prescription requests via NHS App/online services
    • Use of online consultation tools
  • Website analytics:
    • Top user journeys (e.g. homepage → appointments)
    • Completion rates for key forms
    • Bounce rates and time on page for key tasks

Qualitative metrics

• Feedback from reception/admin staff about call volumes and patient understanding

• Patient surveys on website ease of use

• Feedback from PPG (Patient Participation Group) or patient panels Review cadence

• 3‑month post‑launch review with supplier

• 6‑ and 12‑month internal review of:

  • Content accuracy
  • Task completion success
  • Accessibility issues raised

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Case Study‑Style Example (Composite)

A large suburban GP practice with 17,000 patients and high phone demand commissioned a new website using a structured brief like this.

They:

• Prioritised patient tasks (appointments, prescriptions, sick notes, test results) and removed rarely used pages
• Used NHS England content templates for appointments and prescriptions and tailored them to local processes
• Created a “Managing your health online” page explaining when to use the NHS App vs online consultation vs phone

Within 6 months:

• Calls asking “how do I get an appointment?” dropped significantly
• Online prescription requests via the NHS App increased
• Staff reported fewer patients arriving with the wrong expectation of what the practice could offer

A similar approach used by a dental practice led to:

• More self‑service appointment requests outside of opening hours
• Clearer understanding of NHS vs private fees, leading to fewer complaints and disputes at reception

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RFP Email Template to Send to Website Suppliers

You can adapt the email below when sending your brief to potential suppliers.

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Subject: Request for Proposal – New Website for [Practice Name]

Dear [Supplier Name],

We are seeking proposals for the design and build of a new website for our [GP practice / dental practice / PCN / federation], [Practice Name], based in [Location].

Our aims are to:

• Make it easier for patients to complete key tasks online (such as booking appointments and requesting prescriptions)
• Reduce avoidable phone calls for routine queries
• Comply with NHS England guidance for GP websites (where applicable) and meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
• Ensure our team can safely update content in line with the NHS content style guide

Please find our detailed website brief attached. It includes:

• Practice context and project goals
• Priority patient tasks and required online journeys
• Proposed site structure and content responsibilities
• Requirements for integrations (NHS App, Patient Access / other system apps, online consultation tools, online forms)
• Accessibility, performance, security and hosting expectations
• Project timeline, milestones and sign‑off process
• Success metrics and review plans

We would be grateful if you could include the following in your proposal:

• A short explanation of your experience with UK healthcare websites (particularly NHS GP or dental practices)
• Examples and links to at least 3 relevant sites you have designed and built
• How you ensure compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA and NHS digital design/content standards
• Your proposed approach to:
  • Discovery and UX for patient tasks
  • Content support (including use of NHS England templates)
  • Accessibility testing and ongoing support
  • An outline project plan and timeline from discovery to launch
  • A clear cost breakdown, including:
    • Design and build
    • Content support (if applicable)
    • Hosting and ongoing maintenance
    • Training for practice staff
    • Details of your service levels (response times, support hours, security patching)

Please send your proposal by [date – typically 2–3 weeks from sending]. If you have any questions about the brief, contact [name, role, email, phone].

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
[Name]
[Role, e.g. Practice Manager / Business Manager / Principal Dentist]
[Practice Name]

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Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Key takeaways

• A structured brief focused on patient tasks, not pages, can save months of delay and rework.
• Aligning with NHS guidance, WCAG 2.1 AA and the NHS content style guide at the start avoids compliance problems at the end.
• Clear content responsibilities, timeline, and sign‑off cadence protect clinical time and keep the project moving.
• Defining success metrics (reduced calls, increased online use, good patient feedback) turns a cosmetic redesign into a measurable service improvement.

Next steps for your practice

• Copy the website brief template into your own document and tailor it to your practice.
• Involve key stakeholders early: practice manager, a GP or dentist lead, IT/data protection lead, reception team representative, and (if possible) a patient representative or PPG.
• Prepare your list of priority patient tasks and current pain points before speaking to suppliers.
• Use the RFP email template to approach 2–4 suppliers and compare how well they respond to your requirements, not just on price.
• Plan a realistic but firm timeline with clear responsibilities on both sides, and schedule post‑launch reviews from the beginning.

By investing time in a robust brief now, GP practices and dental surgeries can avoid common pitfalls and deliver a website that genuinely improves access, reduces pressure on staff, and supports safer, more informed patient care.