Hospitals using out-of-date sepsis triage tools put A&E patients at risk
Some hospitals are using an out of date triaging tool for emergency patients suffering from sepsis that could leave them at risk of harm.
A warning has been issued to NHS trusts to make sure their triage tools are up to date with the latest advice after several reported incidents in accident and emergency departments.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine flagged the risk to NHS England in a letter seen by The Independent warning patients could come to harm if action wasn’t taken.
NHS England and NHS Digital has issued an alert to hospital chief executives warning of a potential safety risk.
It told members: “The latest version of the system has updated treatment priorities especially in relation to the treatment of adult and paediatric sepsis. It is therefore crucial that if your organisation uses the Manchester Triage System clinical risk management triage tool, please ensure that the most recent version is being used and where this is not the case, specific local mitigation for the risks is in place.”
It added that hospitals should ensure the latest versions of any clinical systems were being used to safeguard patient care.
Source: The Independent, 8 April 2021