What should a pharmacy website include?

Start with the question the patient is actually asking

Most people landing on a pharmacy website are in the middle of a small task: find out if you do something, find out what it costs, check whether you are open, or book a time. A good pharmacy website answers those questions in seconds, on a phone, without making the visitor hunt. Everything below is organised around that idea.

The basics: who you are, where you are, when you are open

These are the most-checked facts on any pharmacy website, and the easiest to get wrong.

• Pharmacy name, address and a map. Put the address in the footer of every page as well as on a contact page. Add a clear note on parking, step-free access and the nearest bus stop or station if they are relevant to your patients.
• Opening hours, including bank holidays. Show them where people will see them, not only on a contact page. If your hours differ for particular services (for example a travel clinic that runs on set days), say so on that service page too.
• A phone number that works with one tap. On a mobile, the number should be a tap-to-call link. Add an email address or enquiry form for people who do not want to ring.
• Details that match your Google Business Profile. Name, address, phone number and hours should be identical on your website and your Google listing. Mismatches confuse both patients and search engines.

Trust signals that matter for a healthcare business

People are choosing who to trust with their health, so credibility does more work here than on most small-business sites.

• The name of your superintendent or responsible pharmacist, ideally with a photo. A real face and name beats stock imagery every time.
• Your GPhC registration details (premises registration number and registered pharmacy status). If you sell medicines online, you must also display the GPhC registered pharmacy logo as required by the regulator’s guidance; check the current requirements on the GPhC website.
• Your own photos of the shop front, dispensary, consultation room and team. They reassure first-time visitors that they will recognise the place when they arrive.
• Genuine reviews. Link to or embed real Google reviews. Do not invent or lightly edit testimonials.

A page for every service

This is the single most important structural decision on a pharmacy website. NHS services, private services and specialist clinics each deserve their own page, because patients search for them individually (“ear wax removal near me”, “travel vaccinations in your town”) and because each one needs different information.

A good service page covers:

1. What the service is, in plain English.
2. Who it is for, and who it is not suitable for.
3. What happens at the appointment and roughly how long it takes.
4. Whether it is NHS-funded or private, and the price if private.
5. How to book, or whether you simply walk in.
6. Answers to the three or four questions you are asked most often at the counter.

Prices, where you can show them

Patients comparing private services will move on quickly if they cannot find a price. Where a price is fixed, publish it. Where it varies (a travel consultation plus individual vaccines, for instance), explain how it is built up and give a starting figure or a typical range. Be clear about what is included. Remember that some health services have specific advertising rules, so check the guidance before putting promotional pricing on anything prescription-only.

One clear next step on every page

Each page should end with an obvious action: call, enquire, or book. Avoid giving the visitor four competing buttons. If a service is walk-in, say so and show opening hours instead of a booking button.

Mobile first, and fast

Most pharmacy searches happen on a phone. Test your own site on a real phone, on mobile data, away from your office wi-fi. Look for text that is too small to read, buttons that are hard to tap, images that take ages to load and menus that cover the content. Google also reads the mobile version of your site first, so a poor mobile experience costs you both patients and rankings.

The legal and housekeeping pages

• Privacy policy. If your site has a booking or enquiry form, you are collecting personal data and need to explain what you do with it under UK GDPR.
• Cookie notice. If you use analytics, you need to ask for consent and honour a refusal.
• Complaints information and details of how patients can raise concerns.
• Accessibility. Sufficient colour contrast, readable text sizes, descriptive link text and alt text on images help every visitor, including people using screen readers.

Make sure you can update it yourself

Opening hours change, prices change and services come and go. If changing a single line means emailing a developer and waiting a week, the site will go out of date, and an out-of-date pharmacy site is worse than a short one. Choose a setup where someone on your team can safely edit the basics.

Frequently asked questions