NHS Ombudsman urges action on sepsis

16 September 2013

The NHS Ombudsman has said that more needs to be done to save the lives of patients with sepsis. The illness claims more than 37,000 lives in the UK annually, more than lung cancer and more than breast cancer and bowel cancer combined.

Research shows that, as with many conditions, early recognition and intervention can save lives. In the case of sepsis, it has been shown that as many as 15,000 lives could be saved annually in the UK by early recognition. For this to be achieved, however, it is vital that patients, the public and the healthcare profession become aware of the condition.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. Sepsis leads to shock, multiple organ failure and death, especially if not recognised early and treated promptly.

As a result of the Ombudsman's statement, however, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will now produce guidance for GPs and clinicians to help them recognise sepsis at an early stage.

The Ombudsman, Julie Mellor, who investigates complaints from people who have received poor service from the NHS, said diagnosing and treatment presented some real problems because the condition was hard to spot and treat. She also stressed that it was now time for the NHS to act.

'In the cases in our report, sadly, all patients died,' she said. 'In some of these cases, with better care and treatment, they may have survived.

'We have worked closely with NHS England, NICE, UK Sepsis Trust and Royal Colleges to find solutions to the issues identified in our report. NICE and NHS England have already agreed to take forward the recommendations of our report.'