The symptom checker is designed to direct families to the care they need
The Belfast Trust are urging parents to use their child symptom checker if their child is feeling unwell amid long waits in emergency departments.
Developed by the Trust’s Paediatric Emergency and General Paediatric Team, in consultation with Alder Hey Hospital and the Healthier Together Programme, the symptom checker details the regular symptoms seen in the Emergency Department at Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
These include breathing problems, fevers, tummy pain, coughs and colds through to burns and symptoms that are much more serious. In December 2025, 20,000 people used the children’s symptom checker.
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The platform is designed to help parents ensure their child receives the most appropriate care in the right place, at the right time, from the most appropriate team.
It uses a traffic light system to help parents know which type of treatment their child needs. Red symptoms mean you should attend your nearest emergency department immediately or ring an ambulance.
Amber symptoms are less urgent, but it’s still vitally important treatment is sought on the same day, for example through your GP. Green symptoms only, with no amber or red features, are less concerning situations.
But if the child is still feeling uncomfortable, there are tips for parents to treat them at home, with parents able to get further advice from their local community pharmacist.
Speaking to Belfast Live when the service launched in 2022, Dr Sarah Kapur, General Paediatric Consultant, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children said, “Bringing a child to an Emergency Department is sometimes not the right course of action, but parents can feel they do not have access to the right information.
“We would much rather see a child who does not need to be there than not see one who does need to be there. However, we hope this symptom checker can provide some reassurance in addition to GP Services, Pharmacies and other aspects of the healthcare system.”
Adults who are feeling unwell or parents of sick children can also use the Phone First telephone service before attending an Emergency Department by calling 028 9615 9444.
Callers to the service are assessed and advised by a healthcare professional and directed, if required, to the most appropriate urgent or community service to meet their treatment or care needs.
This could include direction to attend an Emergency Department, an Urgent Care Centre, a Minor Injuries Unit or being redirected to a GP, pharmacist or other service.
Phone First does not replace 999 and was introduced to address ongoing capacity issues across Emergency Departments which has resulted in longer waits for patients with minor injuries.
The Children’s Symptom Checker can be found here.
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