What's new - Updates

Updated guidance on providing informative page titles and using headings correctly

Updated guidance on PDFs and other non-HTML documents to mention WCAG 2.2

Added new guidance about headings on Formatting page

Split up Formatting and Punctuation sections and added Links guidance to Formatting page

Added new entries to the A to Z of NHS health writing for:

• ear drop and words like eardrum and earlobe
• eye drop and words like eyelash and eyelid
• incontinence products
• log in and log out

Added new panel component and confirmation page pattern

Added new guidance on page titles on Page template page

Removed same-page profession links as they have caused confusion in testing

Updated page on Getting started with accessibility

Changed jump link IDs on the A to Z of NHS health writing

Updated example code in image component

Removed broken link on Select component page and added new research section

Changed jump link IDs on A to Z page pattern to lower case

Replaced image in image component

Added Community resources page to list resources based on the NHS design system.

Added a task list component and a pattern to help users complete multiple tasks

Changed side navigation in patterns

Updated Accessibility guidance to make it clear that:

• the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 include WCAG 2.1
• teams are now monitored to WCAG 2.2

Updated link section to recommend avoiding "see"

Rewrote our guidance on age to make it clearer

Added Down's syndrome, fit note and period products to the A to Z of NHS health writing

Updated fetus, microgram and NHS in the A to Z

Updated links guidance to recommend avoiding "see"

Updated section on capitalisation to mention geographical names

Made minor changes to typography section:

• updated guidance on heading sizes
• increased large and medium heading size on desktop and mobile
• tweaked line-heights for headings
• reduced heading captions sizes
• tweaked the typography print styles

Tweaked the spacing around the breadcrumbs and back link, with a recommendation to put back link top of page

Updated page template guidance and examples:

• new breadcrumbs position within content page template
• added guidance on heading sizes for content pages
• updated the Options table

Added table caption size classes

Updated About the NHS service standard

Updated the service manual team page

Updated service manual team email address on Get in touch and other pages

Added new warning button to buttons component

Updated table component examples and guidance, with information about responsive tables, including when to use them

Fixed alignment between header, footer and main content in page template examples

Improved fieldset component guidance to better explain their uses and importance for accessibility

Improved tabs component guidance to explain how tabs should operate using a keyboard or screen reader

Improved guidance on contrast and accessibility on colour page

Added guidance for headings with captions

Updated breadcrumbs component's Nunjucks macro options descriptions

Updated error summary guidance to explain that the NHS.UK frontend will add focus on page load

Updated link section to point to updated links guidance in content guide

Updated link guidance to use "new tab" instead of "new window"

Added new accessibility requirements: WCAG 2.2

Added sections on making sure your service meets WCAG 2.2 for: Product and delivery and Design, Development and Testing

Added list of changes to meet new accessibility requirements to design system

Updated components and styles for WCAG 2.2:

• Back link: guidance on positioning and keeping data the user has entered
• Breadcrumbs: guidance on positioning
• Buttons: guidance on minimum target size
• Error message: guidance on not clearing data the user has entered
• Footer: guidance on placing help links
• Header: guidance on placing help links and not hiding content that has a focus applied
• Select: guidance on avoiding click and drag
• Summary list: guidance on action link target size and keeping data the user has entered
• Tag: guidance on avoiding click and drag
• Focus state: guidance on not hiding content that has a focus applied
• Icons: guidance on minimum target size

Updated site map

Updated outstanding COVID-19 entries in the A to Z of NHS health writing

Deleted entry for NHS COVID Pass as this service has closed

Right aligned copyright statement in the footer component

Fixed target size issue on A to Z page

Added new page Feedback or share insights in Community and contribution section

Updated the "Help us improve this guidance" section at the bottom of pages across the site

Updated site map

Introduced WCAG 2.2 requirement in Accessibility guidance

Updated NHS accessibility checklist to reflect WCAG 2.2

Renamed "Content style guide" "Content guide"

Added new British Sign Language (BSL) quality assurance standard

Added mention of "convulsions" to entry on "seizure or fit" in the A to Z of NHS health writing

Amended entry for "NHS 111 online" in the A to Z of NHS health writing

Updated the standard for creating health content to refer to WCAG 2.2

Clarified content about font on typography page

Added section on copyright to the footer component and updated examples

Explained about headings below Do and Don't list and warning callout components

Changed example of radio items with hints

Reworded care card component

Introduced WCAG 2.2 requirement on the design system home page

Added section on AI and digital healthcare technologies to standard 8 in the NHS service standard

Added section about the AI and Digital Regulations Service to section 16 of the NHS service standard

Added link to the AI and Digital Regulations Service for health and social care from section 11 of the NHS service standard

Updated service standard 5 to refer to WCAG 2.2

Updated site map

Updated service manual footer to say (c) NHS England