Spotlight on sepsis: your stories, your rights (PHSO, 25 October 2023)

Summary

Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection. It can affect anyone of any age. It happens when your immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage your body’s own tissues and organs.

Sepsis is sometimes called septicaemia or blood poisoning. According to the UK Sepsis Trust, 48,000 people in the UK die of sepsis every year. This number can and should be reduced. It is often treatable if caught quickly.

This report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman(PHSO) looks at some of the sepsis complaints people have brought to PHSO, to shine a light on their experiences and encourage others to let their voices be heard. It shares case summaries and guidance to help people complain and help NHS organisations understand and learn from the issues raised.