Sepsis kills more people each year than three types of cancer
- 13.03.2017
- EmmaArnold
- Clinical-negligence, Clinical-negligence
Survivors of sepsis are raising awareness about the condition which kills more people in the UK each year than bowel, breast and prostate cancer combined.
Sepsis starts with an infection spreading rapidly around the body which leads to your immune system going into overdrive.
As the immune system launches a huge response to fight the infection, it can have serious effects on the body which can cause organ failure and even death.
Calls were made last summer for sepsis to be treated as seriously as a heart attack as the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) asked medical professionals to consider sepsis early on when treating patients.
Hannah Bottomley, clinical negligence solicitor at PotterReesDolan, said:
Sepsis is a devastating condition which can ruin lives. However, I hope all the recent awareness campaigns led to a reduction in the number of instances where the patient suffers life altering injuries.
The UK Sepsis Trust lists the symptoms we should be aware of highlighting how medical professionals should always question whether the patient could have sepsis:
- Slurred speech
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain
- Passing no urine in one day
- Severe breathlessness
- 'I feel like I might die'
- Skin mottled or discoloured
Although more is being done by the NHS to spot symptoms of sepsis and, most importantly, treat sepsis some say that is not enough.
There was a delay in giving antibiotics in nearly a third of cases according to this report published in 2015.
But the organisation which advises doctors on best practice (NICE) is going to publish new rules to ensure patients are assessed rapidly and those with life-threatening sepsis should be treated within an hour.
Why not read about a clinical negligence claim of PotterReesDolan where our client had her leg amputated after she developed septicemia.
As one of PotterReesDolan's medical negligence solicitors, Hannah has previously written about sepsis asking whether enough is being done to raise awareness. Should you have any queries about clinical negligence issues or indeed any other aspect of this article and wish to speak to Hannah or any other member of the team please contact us on 0161 237 5888.