Guide · Primary care
GP website accessibility: a WCAG 2.2 checklist for practice managers.
A practical guide for GP practices and PCNs to audit their website against NHS requirements — and make sure every patient can book, read and contact you without hitting a barrier.
Updated July 2026 · ~8 min read
Why it matters
Your website is a clinical front door.
Around one in five adults in the UK has a disability. For many, your practice website is the first — and sometimes only — way they interact with the NHS. If they can't book an appointment, read a service page or contact reception, that's a clinical access problem, not just a design issue.
WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, version 2.2) is the international standard the NHS Digital Service Manual now points to. Below is a plain-English checklist you can run against your current site today.
The legal bit
What NHS practices are actually required to do.
- The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 apply to NHS and PCN websites
- You must publish an accessibility statement that meets the GOV.UK model
- WCAG 2.2 AA is the standard the NHS Digital Service Manual now points to
- Patients must be able to book, cancel and view appointments without barriers
- Third-party embeds (booking widgets, chatbots, PDFs) count towards your compliance
The checklist
Six areas to audit on your GP or PCN website.
Print this, forward it to your web supplier, or run through it yourself. Anything you can't tick is a candidate for your next round of website work.
1. Colour contrast (WCAG 2.2 · 1.4.3, 1.4.11)
- Body text has at least 4.5:1 contrast against its background
- Large text (24px+ or 19px bold) has at least 3:1 contrast
- Buttons, form borders and focus rings meet 3:1 against adjacent colours
- Information isn't communicated by colour alone (e.g. red-only error states)
2. Keyboard access (WCAG 2.2 · 2.1.1, 2.4.7, 2.4.11)
- Every link, button, form field and menu is reachable with Tab
- Focus is always visible and not obscured by sticky headers or cookie banners
- There's a working "Skip to content" link at the top of every page
- Dropdowns, modals and menus can be closed with Escape
3. Content structure (WCAG 2.2 · 1.3.1, 2.4.6)
- One clear H1 per page describing what the page is about
- Headings step logically (H2 → H3), no skipped levels
- Lists use real <ul>/<ol> markup, not bullet symbols in paragraphs
- Page titles and URLs describe the content (e.g. /appointments, not /page-3)
4. Images and media (WCAG 2.2 · 1.1.1, 1.2.2)
- Meaningful images have descriptive alt text
- Decorative images use alt="" so screen readers skip them
- Videos have captions — vital for patients with hearing loss
- No auto-playing audio or video with sound
5. Forms & interactions (WCAG 2.2 · 1.3.5, 2.5.8, 3.3.2)
- Every form field has a visible label (not just a placeholder)
- Errors are announced in text, not just a red outline
- Interactive targets are at least 24×24 CSS pixels (new in WCAG 2.2)
- Autocomplete attributes are set on name, email and phone fields
6. Language & readability (WCAG 2.2 · 3.1.1, 3.1.5)
- The <html lang="en"> attribute is set correctly
- Plain English — Reading age around 9–11 for patient-facing pages
- Medical jargon and acronyms are explained on first use
- Line length is comfortable (roughly 60–80 characters) on desktop
Built for primary care
Want a GP website that meets WCAG 2.2 out of the box?
Simpliy Primary Care builds NHS-compliant websites for GP practices and PCNs — accessible, fast and easy to keep updated.
FAQs
Common questions from practice managers.
Does my GP practice website legally need to meet WCAG 2.2?
Yes. As a public sector body, NHS GP practices and PCNs fall under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018. The NHS Digital Service Manual now references WCAG 2.2 AA as the required standard.
What's the difference between WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 adds nine new success criteria on top of 2.1, including minimum 24×24 pixel target sizes, focus not being hidden by sticky elements, and easier authentication. If you last audited under 2.1, you almost certainly have gaps under 2.2.
Do I need an accessibility statement?
Yes. Every NHS-affiliated website must publish a statement explaining how compliant it is, what's not accessible, and how patients can report issues or request an alternative format.
What if my booking widget or NHS App embed isn't accessible?
You're still responsible for the patient experience. Note any third-party issues in your accessibility statement, and choose suppliers (like Simpliy Primary Care) that build to WCAG 2.2 AA from day one.
Need a WCAG 2.2 audit or a new accessible GP website?
Tell us about your practice or PCN. We'll come back with a clear, fixed-price plan within one working day.