NHS Better Glasgow and Clyde rolls out digital triage system

NHS Better Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) has begun rolling out a digital triage system throughout its emergency departments as a part of its Digital Hospital programme, which goals to enhance affected person circulation and prioritise essentially the most pressing instances.

The primary section of the rollout went reside on the Queen Elizabeth College Hospital on 24 June 2026, with the system launched at Royal Alexandra Hospital on 30 June and on account of go reside at Glasgow Royal Infirmary later this week and Inverclyde Royal Hospital subsequent week.

The digital triage platform, generally known as eTriage, is supplied by eConsult and allows sufferers to verify in at a touchscreen kiosk on arrival at A&E earlier than answering a sequence of clinically designed questions on their signs.

The Information is transmitted instantly to scientific groups, giving workers entry to sufferers’ responses inside minutes.

By the point sufferers enter the ready space, clinicians have already got entry to this Information, supporting choices about prioritisation and therapy.

Lorraine Cowie, director of interface at NHSGGC, stated: “Introducing digital triage throughout our A&E departments is a crucial step in enhancing how shortly and safely we assess sufferers.

“By giving clinicians quick entry to high-quality Information, we will prioritise these in most pressing want and cut back delays.

“As a part of our wider Digital Hospital programme, this strategy may also assist us information some sufferers to extra acceptable companies, together with providing recommendation, digital assist or booked appointments elsewhere when IT is secure to take action.

“This implies A&E can give attention to essentially the most critical situations, whereas different sufferers are seen extra shortly in the precise setting.

“Affected person security will all the time stay our precedence, and anybody who wants emergency care will proceed to obtain IT.”

In response to NHSGGC, the Technology is meant to assist emergency groups establish sufferers requiring pressing intervention extra shortly and provides workers real-time visibility of sufferers ready within the division.

The rollout varieties a part of the Health board’s wider Digital Hospital programme, which goals to cut back delays, enhance affected person circulation and guarantee sufferers obtain care in essentially the most acceptable setting.

Because the programme develops, Information gathered by digital triage may also assist sufferers being directed to different companies the place acceptable, lowering pointless waits in emergency departments.

Fairly than remaining in A&E, some sufferers might obtain scientific recommendation, entry a digital session, be provided a booked appointment with one other service or be guided in the direction of a extra appropriate care setting, the place IT is clinically secure to take action.

Conventional reception companies will stay accessible for sufferers who would favor to talk with a member of workers or who require further help due to accessibility wants, language boundaries or restricted digital confidence.

In spring 2025, NHS Lanarkshire launched eTriage, with the system first going reside at College Hospital Monklands, earlier than being rolled out to College Hospital Wishaw and College Hospital Hairmyres.