Urgent care self-service

The urgent care self-service (also known as Streaming and Redirection) is a clinically driven digital triage tool designed to improve safety and efficiency across urgent and emergency care. It provides a digital front door for patients to check in and complete a short, guided triage, enabling faster prioritisation and smoother patient journeys. 

You can use this service if you are: 

• type 1 emergency department 
• urgent treatment centre 
• minor injury unit 

• Patient self check-in and triage on arrival. 
• Digital prioritisation based on presenting symptoms. 
• Digital redirection to services such as Pharmacy First or an urgent treatment centre (UTC). 
• Digital referrals to hospital systems via Booking and Referral Standard (BaRS) 
• Automatic capture of demographics and NHS number. 
• Consistent, clinically validated assessment model. 
• Usable on tablets and kiosk devices in waiting areas. 

This service can be accessed at the front door of Emergency Departments and Urgent Treatment Centres using the urgent care self-service.

1. Patient arrives at the urgent care setting. 
2. Patient completes a digital triage on a tablet or kiosk. 
3. The system prioritises, redirects, schedules or streamlines care, depending on clinical need. 
4. Clinicians receive triage outcomes instantly and can take action. 

Patients may be: 

• seen in the department 
• redirected (for example, to a UTC or Pharmacy First) 
• given an appointment and asked to return 
• streamed to services such as same day emergency care (SDEC) or early pregnancy assessment 

This supports faster, safer decision-making and a more efficient flow of patients.

The service provides access to: 

• completed patient triage assessments 
• clinical prioritisation outcomes 
• digital referral information 
• appointment details 
• patient demographics and NHS number (linked automatically) 

Find out more about how we use patient data.

Redirecting patients to alternative services 

For example, directing a patient with a minor condition to Pharmacy First or a UTC instead of emergency departments 

Streaming to specialist services 

Patients can be streamed directly to same day emergency care or early pregnancy assessment services. 

Scheduling appointments 

Patients can complete a triage and return later for a booked appointment, reducing waiting room crowding. 

Managing peak demand 

High‑volume UTCs have used the tool to reduce waiting room numbers and maintain safety. 

Use of this service is optional, but it is recommended for urgent and emergency care settings seeking to improve safety, flow and patient experience. 

This service is live and in a maintenance phase. There are no planned enhancements at this time. Any future changes will be communicated here.

The service is live.

NHS urgent care self-service was launched in 2021 and currently triages around 50,000 patients per month. 

It's a platinum service. This means it is operational and supported 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.