Guidelines published on treatment of sepsis in hospitals
- 13.07.2016
- HannahBottomley
- Clinical-negligence, Opinion, Clinical-negligence, Opinion
I read with interest the recent BBC article following the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) releasing new guidelines that cases of suspected sepsis should be treated as an emergency in the same way as heart attacks.
These guidelines are the first time NICE have put in place specific recommendations in relation to sepsis and make clear that whilst the symptoms and presentation can be vague, due to the complicated and potentially fatal nature of sepsis, the first question all health professionals should be asking themselves when faced with symptoms of infection is to consider whether it could be sepsis. The guidelines appears to have been largely welcomed by the medical profession who acknowledge the difficulties faced in accurately diagnosing sepsis and by those who have been effected.
I anticipate that the introduction of guidelines for the first time will be welcomed by the UK Sepsis Trust (UKST).
The UKST was established as a charity in 2012 with the objective of saving 12,500 lives every year. They are committed to changing the way the NHS deals with Sepsis, to increasing public awareness and supporting those affected by Sepsis. The UKST estimates that every year in the UK there are 150,000 cases of Sepsis, resulting in a staggering 44,000 deaths – more than bowel, breast and prostate cancer combined.
I hope that by introducing the guidelines there is increased identification of sepsis by the medical profession and some of those 44,000 deaths a year are able to be avoided.