NHS Ten Second Triage (TST) Slap Band - Not Breathing

The NHS Ten Second Triage (TST) Slap Band in white marks casualties identified as "Not Breathing" during a major incident. This band provides an immediate visual signal to arriving clinical teams that a casualty has been assessed and found to have no respiratory effort, allowing medical resources to be directed where they can save the most lives. Developed from lessons learned during the Manchester Arena response, it forms part of the complete TST colour-coded wristband system.

Key Features

• Not Breathing Designation: Clearly identifies casualties assessed as having no respiratory effort at the point of initial triage
• Slap Band Application: Wraps securely around the wrist with a single slap action, taking seconds to apply in high-pressure mass casualty scenarios
• Distinct White Colour: Immediately distinguishable from the P1 Red, P2 Yellow, and P3 Green priority bands, preventing confusion during handover
• Ten Second Triage System: Part of the NHS TST framework enabling non-clinical responders to categorise casualties in approximately ten seconds
• Stays in Place: Remains securely attached throughout casualty movement and transfer to clinical teams

NHS Triage Priority Levels

• P1 Red (Immediate): Critical injuries requiring urgent lifesaving intervention
• P2 Yellow (Urgent): Injured or ill, unable to walk, requires prompt medical attention
• P3 Green (Delayed): Walking wounded with minor injuries, treatment can be delayed
• White (Not Breathing): Casualty assessed as having no respiratory effort

Applications

Used by emergency services, community first responders, CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteers, and workplace emergency teams across the UK. A critical component in major incident preparedness kits, mass casualty exercises, and NHS EPRR (Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response) training programmes.