1. our commitment

We want Newcastle Physiotherapy to be accessible to everyone. This statement explains how conformant we believe the site is with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, and what to do if you encounter a barrier.

2. what we aim for

We aim for Level AA conformance with WCAG 2.1. In practice that means:

  • all content works with a keyboard alone
  • all content works with common screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
  • colour contrast meets AA ratios for all text
  • text can be zoomed to 200% without loss of content or function
  • all interactive elements have visible focus indicators
  • motion can be reduced via your operating-system preference
  • forms have clear labels, instructions, and error messages

3. current conformance

We believe the main marketing site is substantially conformant with WCAG 2.1 AA. We review accessibility on every meaningful design change and run automated checks (axe-core, Lighthouse) as part of our release process.

Areas we know could be improved:

  • some embedded third-party widgets (booking system, maps) are outside our direct control
  • older blog posts may contain images without descriptive alt text — we are working through the archive

4. tell us about a barrier

If you find something you can't use, we want to hear about it — both so we can help you in the moment and so we can fix the underlying issue.

We aim to respond within five working days. If we can't fix a barrier immediately we will explain why, and find an alternative way to give you the information or service you need.

5. enforcement

If you're unhappy with our response you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service.

6. technical compliance

This site is built with Next.js and uses semantic HTML, ARIA where appropriate, and a keyboard-first design system. Fonts are self-hosted. Motion respects the prefers-reduced-motion operating-system setting. Code is reviewed at each change for accessibility regressions.

7. accessibility in our clinics

Both our Jesmond and Gosforth clinics have step-free entrances, accessible toilets, and ground-floor treatment rooms. If you need any specific accommodation for your appointment (BSL interpreter, extra time, bariatric equipment, assistance animals), tell reception when you book and we will make arrangements.

8. preparation of this statement

This statement was last reviewed on the date shown above. It was prepared by the Newcastle Physiotherapy team using a self-assessment against WCAG 2.1, supported by automated checks in CI.