diff --git a/netbot/cog_tickets.py b/netbot/cog_tickets.py
index c5f127a..bc9d0f3 100644
--- a/netbot/cog_tickets.py
+++ b/netbot/cog_tickets.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 import logging
 import datetime as dt
+import math
 
 import discord
 from discord import ScheduledEvent, OptionChoice
@@ -298,6 +299,64 @@ def default_term(ctx: discord.ApplicationContext) -> str:
         return CHANNEL_MAPPING[ch_name]
 
 
+class PrevButton(discord.ui.Button):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__(label="◀ Prev", style=discord.ButtonStyle.secondary)
+
+    async def callback(self, interaction: discord.Interaction):
+        view: StatusView = self.view
+        view.page = max(0, view.page - 1)
+        view.refresh_buttons()
+        embed = view.bot.formatter.status_embed(
+            view.title, view.buckets, view.page, view.total_pages, view.truncated
+        )
+        await interaction.response.edit_message(embed=embed, view=view)
+
+
+class NextButton(discord.ui.Button):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__(label="Next ▶", style=discord.ButtonStyle.secondary)
+
+    async def callback(self, interaction: discord.Interaction):
+        view: StatusView = self.view
+        view.page = min(view.total_pages - 1, view.page + 1)
+        view.refresh_buttons()
+        embed = view.bot.formatter.status_embed(
+            view.title, view.buckets, view.page, view.total_pages, view.truncated
+        )
+        await interaction.response.edit_message(embed=embed, view=view)
+
+
+class StatusView(discord.ui.View):
+    """Paginating view for the /status digest embed."""
+
+    TIMEOUT = 180  # seconds
+
+    def __init__(self, bot, title: str, buckets: dict, truncated: bool = False):
+        super().__init__(timeout=self.TIMEOUT)
+        self.bot = bot
+        self.title = title
+        self.buckets = buckets
+        self.truncated = truncated
+        self.page = 0
+        self.total_pages = max(1, math.ceil(len(buckets["sorted_tickets"]) / 5))
+
+        self.prev_btn = PrevButton()
+        self.next_btn = NextButton()
+        self.add_item(self.prev_btn)
+        self.add_item(self.next_btn)
+        self.refresh_buttons()
+
+    def refresh_buttons(self):
+        self.prev_btn.disabled = (self.page == 0)
+        self.next_btn.disabled = (self.page >= self.total_pages - 1)
+
+    async def on_timeout(self):
+        self.prev_btn.disabled = True
+        self.next_btn.disabled = True
+        self.stop()
+
+
 class TicketsCog(commands.Cog):
     """encapsulate Discord ticket functions"""
     def __init__(self, bot:NetBot):
@@ -894,6 +953,36 @@ async def recordTime(self, ctx: discord.ApplicationContext, hours: float, progra
         await ctx.respond(f"Recorded **{hours} hours** on **{program}** for *{user.discord}*")
 
 
+    @discord.slash_command(name="status", description="Show open ticket digest for this team")
+    async def status_digest(self, ctx: discord.ApplicationContext):
+        await ctx.defer()   # Redmine call may take up to 5 s
+
+        term = default_term(ctx)
+        team = self.redmine.user_mgr.find(term) if term else None
+
+        if team:
+            tickets = self.redmine.ticket_mgr.tickets_for_team(team)
+            title = f"{team.name} — Open Tickets"
+        else:
+            from redmine.tickets import DEFAULT_SORT
+            tickets = self.redmine.ticket_mgr.tickets(
+                status_id="open", sort=DEFAULT_SORT, limit=100
+            )
+            title = "All Open Tickets"
+
+        truncated = len(tickets) >= 100
+        if truncated:
+            log.warning(f"/status: hit 100-ticket cap (channel={ctx.channel.name}, term={term})")
+
+        buckets = self.redmine.ticket_mgr.bucket_tickets(tickets)
+        total_pages = max(1, math.ceil(len(buckets["sorted_tickets"]) / 5))
+
+        view = StatusView(self.bot, title, buckets, truncated)
+        embed = self.bot.formatter.status_embed(title, buckets, 0, total_pages, truncated)
+
+        await ctx.respond(embed=embed, view=view)
+
+
     ### Ticket autothreading and notification ###
 
     AUTOTHREAD_TRACKERS = ["Mutual-Aid-Action"]
diff --git a/netbot/formatting.py b/netbot/formatting.py
index 4f8dc17..76b90dc 100644
--- a/netbot/formatting.py
+++ b/netbot/formatting.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 EMBED_VALUE_LEN = 1024
 EMBED_FOOTER_LEN = 2048
 EMBED_MAX_LEN = 6000
+STATUS_PAGE_SIZE = 5
 
 # Note: Up to 10 embeds per response, 25 fields each
 
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@
     'Immediate': '❗',
     'EPIC': '🎇',
     'Standing': '🚩',
+    'Stale': '🕸️',
+    'Open': '📂',
     '?': '❓',
 }
 
@@ -471,6 +474,62 @@ def epics_embed(self, ctx: discord.ApplicationContext, epics: list[Ticket]) -> l
         return embeds
 
 
+    def status_embed(
+        self,
+        title: str,
+        buckets: dict,
+        page: int,
+        total_pages: int,
+        truncated: bool = False,
+    ) -> discord.Embed:
+        """Build a digest embed: five count cards + one page of the Needs Attention list."""
+        import datetime as dt
+
+        embed = discord.Embed(
+            title=title,
+            colour=discord.Color.blurple(),
+        )
+
+        # five inline count cards — headers carry the same emoji each list line gets
+        embed.add_field(name=f"{get_emoji('Open')} Open",     value=str(buckets["open"]),   inline=True)
+        embed.add_field(name=f"{get_emoji('High')} High",     value=str(buckets["high"]),   inline=True)
+        embed.add_field(name=f"{get_emoji('Normal')} Normal", value=str(buckets["normal"]), inline=True)
+        embed.add_field(name=f"{get_emoji('Low')} Low",       value=str(buckets["low"]),    inline=True)
+        embed.add_field(name=f"{get_emoji('Stale')} Stale",   value=str(buckets["stale"]),  inline=True)
+        # blank field to end the inline row cleanly (Discord renders 3 per row)
+        embed.add_field(name="​", value="​", inline=True)
+
+        # Needs attention list for this page
+        tickets = buckets["sorted_tickets"]
+        start = page * STATUS_PAGE_SIZE
+        page_tickets = tickets[start : start + STATUS_PAGE_SIZE]
+
+        cutoff = dt.datetime.now(dt.timezone.utc) - dt.timedelta(days=21)
+
+        lines = []
+        for t in page_tickets:
+            age_days = (dt.datetime.now(dt.timezone.utc) - t.updated_on).days
+            if t.updated_on <= cutoff:
+                # stale pre-empts priority, so the emoji must too (mirrors bucket_tickets)
+                emoji = get_emoji("Stale")
+                label = f"stale · {age_days}d"
+            else:
+                emoji = get_emoji(t.priority.name) if t.priority else get_emoji('?')
+                label = t.priority.name if t.priority else "—"
+            subject = t.subject[:60] if t.subject else ""
+            lines.append(f"{emoji} **#{t.id}** {label} — {subject}")
+
+        attention_text = "\n".join(lines) if lines else "_No tickets_"
+        embed.add_field(name="Needs attention", value=attention_text, inline=False)
+
+        footer = f"Page {page + 1}/{total_pages}"
+        if truncated:
+            footer += " · Showing first 100 tickets — queue may be larger"
+        embed.set_footer(text=footer)
+
+        return embed
+
+
     def help_embed(self, _: discord.ApplicationContext) -> discord.Embed:
         """Build an embed panel with help"""
         embed = discord.Embed(
diff --git a/redmine/tickets.py b/redmine/tickets.py
index 0e50fd0..21afaf4 100644
--- a/redmine/tickets.py
+++ b/redmine/tickets.py
@@ -538,6 +538,38 @@ def tickets(self, **kwargs) -> list[Ticket]:
             return []
 
 
+    def bucket_tickets(self, tickets: list) -> dict:
+        """Partition open tickets into priority/stale buckets for the status digest.
+
+        Stale pre-empts priority: a ticket older than TICKET_MAX_AGE days is counted
+        only in 'stale', never in high/normal/low.  Buckets are mutually exclusive
+        and sum to open (== len(tickets)).
+        """
+        cutoff = synctime.now() - dt.timedelta(days=TICKET_MAX_AGE)
+
+        HIGH_NAMES = {"high", "urgent", "immediate"}
+
+        high = normal = low = stale = 0
+        for t in tickets:
+            if t.updated_on <= cutoff:
+                stale += 1
+            elif t.priority and t.priority.name and t.priority.name.lower() in HIGH_NAMES:
+                high += 1
+            elif t.priority and t.priority.name and t.priority.name.lower() == "low":
+                low += 1
+            else:
+                normal += 1
+
+        return {
+            "open": len(tickets),
+            "high": high,
+            "normal": normal,
+            "low": low,
+            "stale": stale,
+            "sorted_tickets": list(tickets),   # Redmine already returns in DEFAULT_SORT order
+        }
+
+
     def search(self, term) -> list[Ticket]:
         """search all text of open tickets for the supplied terms"""
         # todo url-encode term?