How to choose a GP website supplier: 20 questions to ask before you sign
By Sreeni, Editor · Last reviewed 20 October 2026 · 7 minute read
Your practice chooses and pays for its own website. NHS England’s GP IT operating model makes that clear, and its guide to creating a highly usable and accessible GP website sets out what to look for. These questions turn that guidance into something you can send to any supplier, including us.
Accessibility and NHS standards
Your practice is legally responsible for an accessible website, so the supplier's template has to get you most of the way.
- Does your template meet WCAG 2.2 AA, and can you show me the evidence? Yes, with test results or an audit report. NHS England's operating model asks for WCAG 2.2 AA, and for proof from the supplier.
- Is the template built on NHS design components? Yes. Pages that look and work like nhs.uk are easier for patients and are one of the benchmark criteria.
- How does my site score against NHS England's 50-criterion benchmark? A number, criterion by criterion, and what they'll fix. If they haven't heard of the benchmark, that tells you something.
- Do you write or check our accessibility statement? Yes, and they keep the template part of it up to date. You only add what's specific to your content.
Security and data
A practice website holds no records, but it's still a way into your practice's reputation and your patients' trust.
- Do your admin sign-ins need a second step, like a code from an authenticator app? Yes, for every user. Without it, anyone with a staff password can change what patients read.
- Will you complete the DTAC for us, or for our ICB? Yes, they already have answers ready. NHS England's operating model recommends asking for it.
- Does the site load any tracking or advertising scripts, like the Meta Pixel? No. The operating model says tools that pass visitors' details to third parties without consent shouldn't be on a practice website.
- Where is our content hosted, and does the site store any patient data? In the UK, and no patient data. If forms collect patient details, ask where those go and who can see them.
- Do you hold Cyber Essentials, and are you on the Data Security and Protection Toolkit? Yes, or an honest date. Your IG lead will ask, and a straight answer now saves weeks later.
The work your team does
The cheapest website can be the most expensive if your team has to write every page and remember every review.
- Who writes the pages when we start? The supplier gives you most of them, already written for patients. You check and add what's specific to you.
- How do we post a closure notice at 7am? A few clicks from a phone, with a start and end time so it comes down on its own.
- Will the website tell us when something's due, like GP earnings or a page review? Yes. A dashboard or reminder beats a spreadsheet someone has to remember.
- How many people can have a login, and can we limit what each can change? As many as you need, with roles, so a receptionist can post news without changing your opening hours.
Price and contract
Ask for the full cost in writing before you compare. Our guide to what a GP website costs explains each part.
- What's the full cost of the first three years, including VAT and any setup fee? One number. Your practice usually can't reclaim VAT, so prices quoted 'plus VAT' cost you 20% more.
- Are support, updates and new pages included, or charged on top? Included. Ask for a list of anything that costs extra, like training, new features or a redesign.
- How long are we committing for, and does it renew on its own? A short commitment, with a reminder before any renewal.
Leaving
My Surgery Website's closure has shown why this matters: practices on five-year deals now have to move anyway.
- How much notice do we give, and is there a leaving fee? A month or so, and no fee.
- Can we download all our pages, news and documents, not just form results? Yes, at any time, in a format another supplier can use.
- Will you help move our .nhs.uk address to a new supplier? Yes. You control the address, but a good supplier makes the move easy.
- What happens if you stop the service or are bought by someone else? A clear answer, written into the contract: notice, an export, and help moving.
How we answer
Here are our own answers to the questions most practices ask first. Anything not in place yet has a date, and our security and compliance page shows the detail.
| Question | Our answer |
|---|---|
| WCAG 2.2 AA | In place |
| A code from an authenticator app to sign in | Planned for December 2026 |
| DTAC answers ready for your ICB | In place |
| No patient data stored | In place |
| UK data hosting | In place |
| Cyber Essentials | Planned for 2027 |
| Data Security and Protection Toolkit | Planned for Early 2027 |
| Price | £595 a year, or £55 a month. No setup fee, no VAT to add |
| Leaving | 30 days' notice, no leaving fee, a full export any time |
Comparing suppliers on price? Our guide to what a GP website costs shows how to work out the full cost over three years. Moving from My Surgery Website? Start with our closure guide.
Questions
Does our ICB choose our website supplier?
No. NHS England's GP IT operating model treats the website as a practice business system: your practice chooses the supplier and pays for it. Your ICB can advise, and asks about the website in its yearly review.
Do we have to use a supplier from a framework?
No. Practices can buy a website directly, as long as it meets the standards in NHS England's GP IT operating model and the GP contract.
How long does it take to switch supplier?
Allow about three months from starting to look to going live, and go live at least two weeks before your old contract ends. The build itself usually takes a few weeks.
Correct as of October 2026. This guide reflects NHS England's GP IT operating model and guidance at that date. Check the latest (linked above) before you sign a contract.
This guide is general information, not legal or contractual advice.