For reception teams
High-risk and quick access buttons
The two rows of shortcut buttons at the top of the signposting page, and when to use each.
- Reception teams
Two kinds of shortcut sit near the top of the signposting page, just below the search box. Both open a card in one click, without searching.
High-risk buttons (red)
The red buttons are for urgent symptoms, where every second counts. Select one to open that symptom’s card straight away. They show as soon as the page opens.
Most practices have buttons such as Anaphylaxis, Stroke, Chest Pain, Sepsis and Meningitis Rash. Your practice admin chooses which ones show, can add buttons for other symptoms (sometimes with a shorter label) and sets their order, so your practice’s set may differ.
On a narrower screen, the buttons wrap onto another row rather than run off the edge, so all of them stay in view.
Get to know them before you need them
The buttons stay in the same place each time, so learn where they are and what’s there on your first shift. If a symptom you’d expect isn’t there, choose Suggest a feature in the menu and send it to your practice’s toolkit administrators. See Sending feedback.
Quick access buttons (white)
Below the red buttons there may be a row of up to six white buttons for your practice’s most common reasons for contact, such as Sore Throat or Earache. They save you searching for the calls you take most often.
- Your practice admin chooses the buttons and can give them shorter labels than the card’s name.
- If there are more than fit on your screen, the row scrolls sideways.
- Some practices don’t use them, so you may not see this row.
Quick access buttons are for convenience only. They’re not a sign that a symptom is urgent or routine: always read the card.
The Practice Handbook has its own quick access buttons, for handbook pages such as rotas and phone numbers. See Handbook, appointments and workflows.
Who sets them up
Practice admins set up both rows in Signposting settings. If you think a button is missing, wrong or no longer needed, let them know. See Highlights and buttons for how admins manage them.
Related: Finding a symptom · When you’re unsure