Website Accessibility
Tables used in websites are really useful to help format content. For example you might want to enter your clinics as follows:
Antenatal |
By appointment |
All Midwives |
Asthma Clinic |
Tuesday 2am to 6pm |
Practice Nurses |
Blood Pressure/ECG |
By appointment |
Health Care Assistant |
Etc.
The problem above is when the cells are read with a screen reader they don’t really make sense. Try reading row by row and you will see the problem:
Now try reading this table which has been adjusted and now it makes more sense:
Antenatal |
is by appointment |
and run by all Midwives |
Asthma |
is on Tuesday 2am to 6pm |
and run by all Practice Nurses |
Blood Pressure/ECG |
is by appointment |
and run by the Health Care Assistant |
Etc.
Even worse then you see a table with a header:
Surgery Hours |
AM |
PM |
Monday |
In |
Out |
Tuesday |
Out |
In |
Etc.
The top line: Surgery Hours AM PM make no sense at all when read. The best way to correct this issue is to incorporated some, if not all, of the heading details into the rows below. Here's an example of how the table could be modified so it makes sense when read with a screen reader:
Surgery Hours |
|||
Monday AM |
In |
Monday PM |
Out |
Tuesday AM |
Out |
Tuesday PM |
In |
Etc.
Really simple edits, but make all the difference for screen reader output.
If not using our Accessibility services, check all pages on your website to see is there are any tables that do not read correctly. To get you started we've already amended practice websites who have tables for GP Times, and External Advice / Young Persons pages.
Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies (.gov reference page)
How the accessibility regulations will be monitored and enforced (.gov reference page)