Websites & patient experience · Website help · Enquiry form wording

Distinguish preferred contact details from patient identifiers

A form mixes patient identity fields with the details of the person making the enquiry. When a relative completes it, staff cannot tell whose number they received.

What to change

Write the questions around the two roles rather than repeating your details. Explain which information relates to the person attending and which is used to discuss the enquiry.

A worked example

Illustrative example

An enquiry made by a parent first identifies the prospective patient, then asks how the team should contact the parent about arrangements. The page does not treat those answers as interchangeable.

How to check the result

The receiving team can understand the relationship between the request and the contact route without guessing.

A mistake to avoid

Do not infer authority to manage a patient's records merely because someone provided their own contact details on the enquiry.

Your action checklist

Use these checks to prepare a discussion with your team or supplier. Tick a check when you have recorded the decision or evidence, rather than when a feature has simply been promised.

Decisions to record

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Healthcare website design showing connected desktop and mobile service and enquiry layouts.
Make the service and next step clear on every screen.
Healthcare website accessibility illustrated by a focus outline, keyboard key, contrast samples and form.
Review keyboard access, contrast and understandable form fields.
Healthcare website testing with desktop and mobile forms, a checklist and success and error states.
Check complete journeys and explain failures clearly.

Further reading

These primary sources provide additional context for the project decisions above.

Related decisions

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