Accessibility Statement

We are committed to creating an accessible experience for all users

Last Updated: 18th November 2025

Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) is committed to making our website accessible for everyone. We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard where we can. These guidelines are about making web content more inclusive to as many people as possible.

This accessibility statement applies to The Health Data Research Gateway (https://healthdatagateway.org/en)

Our accessibility commitment includes making sure that our website visitors can easily understand our web pages by making the content as simple as possible, allow for a reasonable amount of text resizing, navigate most of the website using just a keyboard, and perceive and navigate the website using screen recognition software such as JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.

Compliance status

(b) This website is largely compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, with the exceptions listed below:

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reason(s):

(a) non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Colour contrasts

Some of the colour contrasts within the site do not meet the colour contrast regulations. The main reason for this is HDR UK’s branding is currently under a refresh, and one of the core considerations of the new branding is accessibility. We expect therefore that this be resolved in the brand refresh in 2026.

Some success messages appear for too short a timeframe

We are aware of this and intend to resolve in the coming months by extending the time to at least 5 seconds (WCAG recommendation) and announcing to screen readers when the focus is back on the main page.

Contact support button doesn’t work on subsequent attempts

We are aware of a bug that occurs when trying to use this button a second time. The workaround in the meantime is currently to refresh the page and try again. The issue has been logged as having minor impact and will be addressed in a future release.

Heading levels

Some of the heading levels don’t follow a logic order (H1, H2, H3 etc.) on some pages which may confuse screen reader users. This is considered to have minor impact, and will be addressed in a future release.

404 Alt text

The image on the 404 Page not found has an incorrect alternative text. This has minor impact as the page also has an alternative text description and will be addressed in a future release.

Focus state consistency

Some of the focus state styles are inconsistent which may lead to some confusion for keyboard users. This is considered to have minor impact and will be addressed in a future release.

Team management

The permissions checkboxes disable when there is just one left. This may cause some friction for screen reader and keyboard users. This is considered to have minor impact and will be addressed in a future release.

Inconsistency of homepage buttons

The order of the buttons on the homepage is slightly different to that in the navigation dropdown. This is considered to have minor impact and will be addressed in a future release.

(b) disproportionate burden

Screen reader users may struggle with the newsletter sign-up checkboxes. This is hosted outside of HDR and is outside our immediate control. We are aware of the issue and will look for a resolution for a future release.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 18 November 2025 as a result of an audit of the site during the Summer of 2025. The audit was carried out by using a selection of the 10 most common pages, and 10 randomly selected pages. Using WCAG as a guide, each page was run through a checklist which included keyboard use, screen reader compatibility and content legibility.

Here is the checklist used to assess the pages:

Automated tests

Contrast
ARIA roles
ALT text for images
Form labels associated to inputs
Keyboard control checks

Manual tests

Focus states have clear visual indication
Interactive controls are keyboard accessible
The page has a logical tab order
Visual order on the page follows DOM order
User focus is not trapped
User focus is moved to new content when added dynamically to the page

HTML landmark elements are used
Off screen content is hidden from screen readers
Custom controls have associated labels
Custom controls have ARIA roles
User focus is moved to new content when added dynamically to the page
Interactive controls indicate their purpose and state

Colour blindness tests

Protanopia (red-blindness)
Deuteranopia (green-blindness)
Tritanopia (blue-blindness)

Forms and error handling

Error messages and validation states

Zoom & scrolling

Zoom content to 200%

Content design

Readability
Clear instructions
Avoid jargon
Transcripts and subtitles for video content

Responsive tests

Mobile (375px)
Tablet (768px)
Laptop / Desktop (1280px)
Large Desktop (1920px)
Test for fluid behaviour in between breakpoints
Check interactivity and navigation on a phone

Alternative formats, feedback and contact information

If you encounter any accessibility issue that’s not detailed in this statement or require information on this website in different formats e.g. large print, accessible PDF, Braille, please use our Technology Support Centre to raise this with our product team or you can also email gateway@hdruk.ac.uk. We aim to get back to you with a first response within 3 working days.

We’re committed to making our website as accessible and user-friendly as possible. If you’ve experienced any difficulties while using it, we’d love to hear your feedback.