Spotting sepsis "could prevent 37,000 deaths a year"

Health officials are launching a campaign to help spot the early signs of sepsis, a condition that has been blamed for about 37,000 deaths a year in England. The campaign, run by Public Health England and the UK Sepsis Trust, is aimed at parents and carers of newborns to four-year-old children. It is part of a series of measures by the NHS to tackle the condition, which arises as a complication of an infection.

“We need to get far better at spotting it across the NHS. By raising awareness and improving clinical practice, we will save lives in the fight against this horrible illness,” said the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt.

Melissa Mead, a UK Sepsis Trust ambassador, whose baby son William died of sepsis two years ago, will appear in a new film that forms part of the campaign. “Sepsis is a cruel, ruthless condition that doesn’t discriminate and can affect anyone,” she said. “I hope this campaign reaches as many people as possible, so all parents out there know about sepsis and how serious it can be. The more parents know, the quicker they can act if they suspect their child may be suffering from sepsis – it could be life-saving.

“I will never hear my sweet child say, ‘Mummy, I love you.’ I will never know the man that William would have grown to be. So please, it is too late for me to ‘think sepsis’ but it’s not too late for you.”

Millions of leaflets urging parents to take their child to A&E or call 999 if their child is displaying symptoms will be delivered to GP surgeries and hospitals across the country. Parents should take immediate action if their child looks mottled, bluish or pale, appears lethargic or difficult to wake, is abnormally cold to touch, is breathing rapidly, has a rash that does not fade when pressed, or has a fit or convulsion.

Hunt praised Mead – as well as “families who have tragically lost children to sepsis” – for her help with the campaign.

Sir Bruce Keogh, national medical director for NHS England said: “This campaign is an important addition to our ongoing work – we will never treat sepsis in time unless everyone ‘thinks sepsis’.”

Dr Ron Daniels, the chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: “With sepsis claiming over 37,000 lives annually in England, this awareness campaign is a crucial step forward. Clinicians and members of the public can save thousands of lives every year if they just ask: could it be sepsis?

“The UK Sepsis Trust welcomes this initiative, but system-wide improvements to sepsis care must follow. We’re delighted to have developed campaign materials that will empower parents to identify sepsis symptoms in their children and seek medical attention immediately.”

Spotting sepsis "could prevent 37,000 deaths a year"