LIFESAVER!

Victory for Mail campaign as SNP backs national publicity drive to raise awareness of deadly sepsis

A CAMPAIGN on the dangers of sepsis will be launched by the Scottish Government in a major victory for charities and the Scottish Daily Mail. Health secretary shona Robison announced the move in a dramatic U-turn yesterday – only weeks after ruling it out.

she had ‘reflected’ on her decision after this newspaper’s coverage of the ‘awful consequences’ of the condition.

Adverts highlighting sepsis will run on television, radio and in the press, while posters will be displayed at around 1,200 high street pharmacies.

The massive publicity drive will raise awareness of the ‘silent killer’, which can be fatal if not caught in time.

last night the move was applauded by campaigners, who praised the Mail for its campaign.

Miss Robison said: ‘sepsis is an awful condition that if not spotted in time can kill – yet too many people don’t know the often-silent symptoms. I want that to change. so far, our efforts to educate people on spotting the signs

have had some success. Through the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, awareness both among clinical practitioners and clinicians has risen, and deaths from sepsis are down – by 21 per cent since 2012.

‘We also support the Sock it to Sepsis campaign and take part in World Sepsis Day to raise the dangers to a public audience.

‘Yet the Mail’s coverage of the awful consequences of sepsis has reinforced to me that we need to go further. I’ve reflected on the heartbreaking stories of Mail readers, tireless campaigners like Craig Stobo from FEAT and the views of MSPs from across the chamber and believe a new awarenessraising campaign is a sensible next step.

‘Our Scotland-wide campaign will help equip the public with a better understanding of the signs, leading in time to more lives being saved and better care for sepsis sufferers in Scotland.’

The turnaround came three weeks after the Government said a publicity drive was not ‘necessary at this time’. But a poll by this newspaper found nearly half of Scots do not know what sepsis is.

Holyrood’s public petitions committee had asked the Government to consider the move after a plea by widower Jim Robertson. But ministers initially rejected the call, leading the Mail to demand action in our own campaign.

More than 20,000 Scots a year are struck down by the illness. Around 4,000 die, while others suffer life-changing consequences.

Sepsis is the serious complication of an infection and can come from anywhere – even a contaminated cut or insect bite.

An exclusive Scottish Daily Mail poll by Survation, of 1,000 Scots, found that only 55 per cent knew what the condition is and were able to correctly describe it.

Miss Robison made the announcement following a meeting with the sepsis awareness charity Fiona Elizabeth Agnew Trust (FEAT).

The Health Secretary said: ‘The Scottish Government has always been committed to raising awareness of the dangers of sepsis and this meeting was an important step in formalising our plans for a dedicated campaign.

‘I was delighted to meet with FEAT and to discuss the next steps. It is clear from our meeting that a marketing and awareness campaign is a sensible next step.’

FEAT was set up by Mr Stobo after his wife Fiona died from sepsis five years ago.

Experts want the level of public education activity to be on a par with that of cancer and stroke. Mr Stobo said: ‘FEAT welcomes today’s meeting and the announcement. This will help raise people’s awareness of this major public health issue, save lives and improve patients’ outcomes.

‘This is just the beginning of a long road ahead. We look forward to working further with the Scottish Government to consolidate the recent, welcome fall in deaths from sepsis, with a focus on continuous improvement to ensure there is safe, consistent care for all sepsis patients across Scotland.’

Lord Ashcroft, the politician and international businessman who nearly died from sepsis in 2015, wrote in the Scottish Daily Mail this month that it would be a ‘major mistake’ not to organise a sepsis-awareness campaign in Scotland.

Yesterday, he welcomed Miss Robison’s change of heart.

He said: ‘I congratulate the Scottish Government on its announcement that it will, after all, launch a sepsis-awareness campaign.

‘I have no doubt that this move can and will save hundreds of lives in Scotland in the future. I also congratulate the Scottish Daily Mail for its hard-hitting – and successful – campaign in persuading the Government to rethink its original ruling.

‘The newspaper has done a great public service for its readers and everyone living in Scotland.’

Corinne Hutton, founder of the charity Finding Your Feet, who lost her hands and feet to sepsis, described the Government’s decision as ‘excellent news’. She said: ‘It’s the combined effort of all of us, and the Government, and NHS staff that will make the biggest difference to making a radical difference to sepsis in the UK.’

WHEN Lord Ashcroft told of his fight for life against the ‘silent killer’ illness sepsis, his moving words struck a resounding chord with many. For the businessman’s admission that he knew very little about the symptoms of the illness that nearly killed him sparked increased public awareness of a condition that strikes down 20,000 – and kills 4,000 – Scots every year.

That’s why this newspaper launched a campaign to persuade the Scottish Government that a major drive to increase knowledge of sepsis should be a priority.

Within weeks, our campaign has had a hugely significant impact. Yesterday, Health Secretary Shona Robison announced our coverage had persuaded her that a major Scotland-wide publicity drive was necessary to ‘help equip the public with a better understanding of the signs, leading in time to more lives being saved and better care for sepsis sufferers’.

We applaud the Scottish Government’s swift action on this vital issue. It is the first tangible step towards saving the lives of hundreds of Scots in the future.