The NEWS-2 is the gold standard for identifying acute illness in adults. While it was once the domain of hospital wards and paramedics, it is now an essential tool for the modern pharmacist. Integrating NEWS-2 into your private clinic isn't just about ticking a box; it’s about establishing a "Safety Net" that protects both your patient and your professional practice.

1. The Ultimate Safety Net: Is Your Patient Actually "Well"?

When a patient walks into your clinic for a private service—perhaps feeling slightly "under the weather" after a trip abroad or experiencing side effects from a new medication—it can be difficult to quantify their level of risk through observation alone.

The NEWS-2 calculator within Deltera allows you to record six physiological parameters:

• Respiration rate

• Oxygen saturations

• Systolic blood pressure

• Pulse rate

• Level of consciousness

• Temperature

By inputting these metrics, you aren't just deciding if a specific treatment should continue; you are verifying that the patient is physiologically stable. It acts as a vital "sanity check," ensuring that you don't overlook a brewing infection or a cardiovascular issue while focused on the primary reason for their visit.

2. Elevating Your Professionalism

Using standardised tools like NEWS-2 fundamentally changes the "optics" of your pharmacy. When you use the same clinical language and scoring systems as the wider NHS, you elevate the status of your clinic.

Recording a NEWS-2 score in your consultation notes demonstrates a high level of clinical rigor. It shows that you are practicing at the top of your license, utilising evidence-based frameworks to ensure patient safety. This data provides immense value to the patient, giving them a clear, objective snapshot of their current health status during their consultation.

3. Data-Driven Triage: Following the Protocol

One of the most stressful moments in a private clinic is realising a patient is acutely unwell. In these high-pressure moments, you need a system that supports your decision-making.

Deltera’s NEWS-2 integration provides an immediate score based on the data you enter. While the system doesn't "take over" the referral, it provides the objective evidence you need to follow your local clinical protocols.

• Low Score: Continue with the planned private service.

• Medium/High Score: The system prompts you to consider urgent referral or escalation.

If a referral to A&E or a GP is required, the patient leaves your pharmacy with a digital or printed record of their NEWS-2 score. When they present this to a triage nurse or paramedic, they are providing high-quality, actionable data that can speed up their care.

4. Integrated Workflow: The Deltera Advantage

In the past, performing a NEWS-2 assessment meant using a paper chart or a separate app, leading to fragmented records.

With Deltera, the NEWS-2 calculator is built directly into your consultation workflow.

• Visibility: See the calculator right when you need it during the assessment phase.

• Permanence: The final score and individual parameters are saved permanently in the patient’s record.

• Auditability: Every assessment is time-stamped, providing a clear audit trail of your clinical decision-making.

Move Beyond the PGD with Deltera Prescribe

As you transition your pharmacy into a clinical hub, you need tools that match your expertise. The NEWS-2 integration is just one way Deltera Prescribe empowers Independent Prescribers to deliver safer, more professional private clinics.

Is your clinic ready for the high-stakes world of 2026?

‍