A medical practice website is professional communication. Its content and features need to be reviewed in that context before publication. This is a design checklist, not a legal or professional-conduct opinion.
Begin with factual information
The HPCSA’s ethical rules address advertising and canvassing. The published rules require particular attention to misleading information and professional conduct. A practice should consult the current rules and applicable professional-board guidance when approving its website.
For the design brief, start with information the practice can verify: practitioner names, qualifications, registration details, services, contact details and opening hours.
Review claims and advertising features individually
Do not add a testimonial widget, patient gallery or comparative claim simply because it appears on another website. Establish whether the intended use is appropriate, what evidence supports it and what consent or other requirements apply.
The answer may depend on the material, its context and the applicable guidance. A designer should identify these decisions for the practice rather than give a blanket assurance that a standard template is compliant.
Make the practical information work
A useful practice website explains where to go, how to contact reception and how to request an appointment. The practice should review descriptions of services and any clinical information before those pages go live.
Booking functionality depends on the systems the practice uses. Confirm what information passes between the website and the booking provider, and who controls access.
Limit the general enquiry form
A public contact form should not invite a full medical history by default. Keep the initial enquiry focused and direct sensitive clinical information through the practice’s appropriate channels.
Review the privacy notice, recipients and retention process together. A form’s appearance does not establish how the information will be handled.
Record the approval
Keep a record of who approved the content and when. Revisit it when practitioners, services or guidance change. The practice retains responsibility for its professional content.
Baken’s medical and dental website service uses a review-led approach: factual content, explicit decisions and sign-off before publication.
Next step: request a free Website Check, or see Baken’s medical practice websites.