Sepsis kills thousands of people each year due to basic failings in hospital care

Sepsis, known as the ‘silent killer’ affects around 200,000 people each year in the UK and kills 37,000. It is the leading cause of avoidable death in the UK.

The condition usually occurs when a bacterial infection brings on an extreme immune response which makes the body attack its own organs.

Early signs, which are often missed by doctors, include blood clotting, inflammation and fever. If the warnings are not recognised quickly, they can lead to heart, liver, kidney or lung failure.

An investigation led by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death has found that delays occurred in diagnosing sepsis in 36 per cent of cases and 62 per cent in severe cases.

The investigation found that even when the condition was diagnosed, treatment was sometimes delayed.

Although there is no cure for the condition, if it is diagnosed at an early stage, it can be effectively treated with intravenous fluid and antibiotics.

Dr Vivek Srivastava of King’s College Hospital, London, the report’s author, said “I am very concerned about the serious lack of awareness of sepsis, and the reliance on the experience of senior hospital clinicians to diagnose it.

“The long-term complications suffered by so many survivors of sepsis impact greatly on their future quality of life.

“It is clear that outcomes for these patients could be improved with early recognition of this life-threatening condition and taking prompt action by improving the early implementation of a sepsis care bundle.”

The report’s co-author Dr Alex Goodwin, of Royal United Hospitals Bath, said “Sepsis has a number of faces. In some cases it can be very obvious in patients who have low blood pressure, a high temperature, racing pulse or altered mental state.

“But it can also be present without any of these symptoms, and is commonly mistaken for flu.

“This is why it can be so difficult to diagnose, and why recording a patient’s vital signs at all stages and documenting sepsis is so important.”

Chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, Dr Ron Daniels, said “Mandatory early recognition training for sepsis is a very straightforward way to save many lives by ensuring that patients receive the treatment they need, when they need it.

“We know that proper sepsis care can save the NHS around £160 million annually, so working to address sepsis, and quickly, seems like common sense. It is time sepsis was on a par with other life threatening conditions.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), Medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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