Emergencies in… Symbols

These conditions require immediate action and potential life- or limb- saving interventions. Senior medical assistance should be obtained within seconds or minutes if available. If no senior support is available on site the patient should be transferred to a facility which can provide these with the utmost urgency, accompanied by the appropriate life support equipment and staff competent in its use.

These conditions require urgent action and intervention. Senior medical assistance should be obtained within minutes, not hours, in order to prevent the patient's condition deteriorating to a critical state. If no senior support is available on site the patient should be transferred to a facility which can provide these with the utmost urgency, accompanied by the appropriate life support equipment and staff competent in its use.

These conditions require the practitioner to act to improve the clinical situation for the patient as soon as is practical. Consideration needs to be given to the risk of the patient deteriorating and actions undertaken to minimize the risk of this occurring.

These conditions are not critically time dependent. Most can be dealt with in primary care at a later time or date without the patient's condition significantly deteriorating and with minimal risk.