Top picks: 10 resources about sepsis

Summary

According to the UK Sepsis Trust, sepsis affects 245,000 people every year in the UK alone, and 48,000 people die of sepsis-related illnesses. Sepsis arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It may lead to shock, multi-organ failure, and death – especially if not recognised early and treated promptly.

Dr Ron Daniels, Founder & Joint CEO of the UK Sepsis Trust, and Topic Lead for the hub, said: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, attention to sepsis care understandably diminished, leading to gaps in timely and effective treatment. As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s crucial to refocus our efforts on this life-threatening but often treatable condition. We’re calling on the government to commission clear and efficient pathways within the NHS, supported by integrated care boards, to ensure that suspected sepsis is taken seriously – every time – in Accident & Emergency (A&E) departments nationwide.”

At Patient Safety Learning we believe that sharing insights and learning is vital to improving outcomes and reducing harm. That's why we created the hub; to provide a space for people to come together and share their experiences, resources and good practice examples.

We have pulled together 10 useful resources about sepsis that have been shared on the hub. They include advice on recognising and managing sepsis along with educational materials.

Content

1 THINK SEPSIS

THINK SEPSIS is a Health Education England programme aimed at improving the diagnosis and management of those with sepsis. Prompt recognition of sepsis and rapid intervention will help reduce the number of deaths occurring annually. The resources that are available on their website support the early identification and management of sepsis. It includes a film and a wide range of learning materials for primary care, secondary care and paediatrics.

2 Dr Ron Daniels: Recognising sepsis

Dr Ron Daniels, Chief Executive of the Global Sepsis Alliance, has filmed a short video for the hub on the importance of recognising sepsis quickly and acting early to not only save lives but also to improve the quality of the lives we do save. He highlights the tools available to recognise and manage sepsis, the Red Flag Sepsis start bundle, and discusses why it is important to know when to act and what to do, and why healthcare professionals and the public need to work collaboratively. 

3 UK Sepsis Trust: Get Sepsis Savvy video

Five-minute video to help protect yourself and your loved ones against sepsis. 

4 Patient Safety Learning interview with double sepsis survivor, Dave Carson, and his wife Margaret

A Patient Safety Learning interview with sepsis survivor, Dave Carson, and his wife, Margaret Carson, who tell us how things have improved and what more still needs to be done for sepsis.

5 Managing deterioration using NEWS

A series of videos from NHS England Workforce, Training and Education on managing deterioration.

6 Sepsis: National Education Scotland resources

Some of NHS Education for Scotland (NES) sepsis educational resources, including NHS Scotland National Early Warning Score (NEWS) and Sepsis Screening Tool, and the Maternal Sepsis e-Learning Package.

7 NHS England: Improving the blood culture pathway

NHS England’s report into blood culture practices outlines key improvement steps in the pre-analytical phase of the blood culture pathway. Through targeted recommendations to trust chief executives, clinical and pathology staff, there's an opportunity to improve the blood culture pathway, antimicrobial stewardship and patient outcomes from sepsis.

8 Spotlight on sepsis: your stories, your rights

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

9 Sepsis alert systems, mortality, and adherence in emergency departments: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Early detection and management of sepsis is an important patient safety target. This systematic review included 22 studies and examined the use of sepsis alert systems in the Emergency Department (ED) on patient outcomes. The researchers found that sepsis alert systems were associated with reduced risk of mortality and decreased length of stay, as well as increased adherence to sepsis management guidelines, such as timely administration of antibiotics.

10 Improving sepsis compliance with Human Factors interventions in a community hospital emergency room

Adherence to best practices for sepsis management at a small community hospital was below system, state and national benchmarks and affected vital indicators, including mortality. This study aimed to improve sepsis best practice compliance by implementing human factors–influenced interventions.

Do you have a resource or story about sepsis to share? We’d love to hear about it - leave a comment below or join the hub to share your own post.