Sepsis: Can we reduce fatalities by learning from the USA

Sepsis survivors are asking if the United Kingdom would do well to take a lead out of the USA’s book,when it comes to giving more concerted regard to sepsis.

In the UK there are 48,000 sepsis related deaths each year, with 245,000 people affected by sepsis yearly and 11 million deaths globally from sepsis. Today sepsis continues to be a significant health concern in the United Kingdom.

Sepsis arises as the result of the body responding to an infection in a manner which damages its own tissues and organs. It can lead to organ failure, septic shock, and even death if not identified and treated promptly. Common signs of sepsis include fever, elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, and extreme pain or general discomfort.

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, provides detailed guidance on the diagnosis and early management of sepsis, and qualified healthcare professionals are required to be well-versed in understanding and implementing such measures. Combined with this, in 2006 the UK Sepsis Trust pioneered the use of the Sepsis Six; a set of protocols designed to help healthcare providers deliver fast, effective treatment and reduce mortality rates for patients with sepsis.

However, in August 2022 a report by the NHS Resolution identified sepsis cases as still one of the three leading bases for clinical negligence claims against NHS services, due to sepsis being missed.

For comparable reasons the USA, building on their successful life-saving Rory’s Regulations in New York State. have very recently introduced the SEPSIS Act to reduce sepsis deaths by tasking their Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with dedicated sepsis work. This builds on their ongoing efforts to reduce the burden of this harmful medical condition.

The CDC’s work will include an education campaign addressing sepsis in hospitals; improving data collection on paediatric sepsis; increasing training, more sharing of information across Health and Human Services on sepsis identification and quality measures; and developing and implementing heightened sepsis outcome measures, with Governmental purview and accountability being enhanced also.

Many who have experienced sepsis, are calling for more to be done here too.