Communications

red exclamation mark in top right hand corner of EMIS

Double click in emergency, eg collapsed patient or support needed with violent / aggressive patient. Can also be activated with SHIFT and F1.

urgent screen message

ONLY use for clinically urgent situations, eg patient in waiting room looking acutely unwell; another clinician (eg paramedic) with a patient needing to speak to on-call GP urgently.

screen message

Use if something requires immediate action, eg to notify that someone has arrived for a meeting; or to ask someone to move their car.

tasks

Send a task for simple administrative things that can be done without a consultation, eg action an "urgent" EPS request. If the task needs to be done the same day, add a yellow task slot to the clinician's clinic list. Anything that involves clinical care, such as phoning a patient or relative, or making a referral needs to be booked as a consultation.

comments under appointment slots

These should only be used for non-clinical information, eg reminders of a meeting, because they cannot be searched or audited. Please use tasks for clinical matters, as this helps to ensure the correct patient is selected, and that there is an audit trail of all clinical activity.

routine general communications

Use email via Emis or nhs.net where possible - aiming to avoid unnecessary printing.

For unavoidable paperwork, use the named trays or hanging files in reception.