Established practice
Most patients look you up on their phone. Can they use your website?
A site that works on a desk but not in a hand loses patients quietly. Here is how to check, and how to solve it.
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- steps
- 6
- steps
- to start
- 10 minutes
- to start
- scorecard
- Free
- scorecard
The short answer
Many patients look you up on a phone, often in a waiting room or after work. If they have to pinch, zoom or hunt for a number, many give up. A ten-minute phone test and Google's free PageSpeed Insights will tell you whether you need small changes or a rebuild.
What good looks like
Your website on a phone, before and after
Loads in under 2 seconds · readable at a glance
- Improved: Tap to call · tap for directions · book in two taps
Illustrative sample, not a real person or result. Your own audit uses your real details.
6 steps
Do it yourself: step by step
0 of 6 done
On your own phone, and ideally an older one, try to: find your phone number and call it, find your fees, find the address of each clinic and get directions, and request an appointment. Time each task and note anything you had to zoom for.
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Typical cost
- Free
- Who does it
- You and secretary
Why it matters
If it frustrates you, it frustrates patients.
Done when: You have a list of every task that took more than 30 seconds
This problem is Solvable.
Copy this checklist
Ten-minute phone test
Free to copy, adapt and use. No sign-up.
Use your own phone. Time each task. Tick if done in under 30 seconds without zooming.
| Task | Time (seconds) | Under 30s, no zoom? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find and tap to call the phone number | |||
| Find the initial consultation fee | |||
| Find which insurers you are recognised by | |||
| Find a clinic address and open directions | |||
| Request or book an appointment | |||
| Read a condition page without zooming | |||
| Close any pop-up or cookie banner easily |
PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev)
| Page | Mobile performance score | Core Web Vitals: pass or fail | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homepage | |||
| [Condition page] |
Brief for your website supplier
- Phone number in the header, tap-to-call
- Booking button that stays in reach while scrolling
- Addresses link to map directions
- Body text at least 16px, one column
- Buttons large enough to tap with a thumb
- Images compressed, no sliders
- No full-screen pop-ups on mobile
- Retest and send me the new PageSpeed scores
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Approving a website after seeing it only on a desktop monitor.
- A phone number shown as an image, so it cannot be tapped.
- A full-screen pop-up or newsletter box that covers the page on a phone.
- Large uncompressed photos that make the site slow on mobile data.
- A booking form with fifteen fields that is painful to fill in on a phone.
Free personal check
Done by Paul Robinson, not software
I'll test your website on a phone and run Google's speed check for you
What I need from you
- Your name
- Your website address
What you get
- Screenshots of your site on a phone
- Your PageSpeed results in plain English
- Whether small changes will do or you need a rebuild
Within 2 working days
No sign-in, no sales call. I read every request myself and reply on WhatsApp.
Free tools
Check where you stand
Benchmarks
LCP 2.5 seconds or less, INP 200 milliseconds or less, CLS 0.1 or less, measured at the 75th percentile of page loads
Google's thresholds for a good page experience on Core Web Vitals
Source: Google web.dev: Web Vitals
Paul Robinson
14 years in UK private healthcare
I solve this one for consultants
Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.
A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.
No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer and what I'd do first.
I reply personally, usually the same day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is a good PageSpeed score?
Scores vary between tests, so treat them as a guide. Passing Core Web Vitals and the phone test matters more than a perfect number.
Does mobile performance affect Google ranking?
Google says good Core Web Vitals align with what its core ranking systems seek to reward. Either way, a slow site loses patients who give up.
Can my current supplier solve it?
Often, if the site is on a modern platform. Ask for a quote against the brief above.
Should I build an app?
No. A good mobile website is what patients need.
How often should I test?
After any change, and every six months.
Last reviewed:
Sources
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