ALL OUT WAR ON SEPSIS

After Mail campaign, all new mothers warned to look for signs Nurses and doctors to be retrained 1million leaflets sent to A&Es and GPs

EVERY new mother will be warned to look for signs of sepsis in their baby in an all-out war on the illness.

From today, the NHS will distribute a million leaflets in casualty departments, GP surgeries and maternity wards.

The leaflets, which tell parents to ‘think sepsis’ when symptoms appear, will also be included in the pack given out to all pregnant women.

And warnings on sepsis will be added to the ‘red book’ given to the parents of newborns. For the first time, all doctors and nurses will be trained to look for the signs of an illness that claims 44,000 lives a year.

Ministers hope that educating par- ents and medical professionals about the symptoms will cut the numbers lost to the so-called ‘silent killer’.

Jeremy Hunt has taken charge of launching the awareness campaign. Writing in today’s Mail, the Health Secretary says this newspaper’s coverage of sepsis tragedies had made him think of the danger to his own children.

‘The Mail has rightly championed this cause – highlighting the cases of countless families that have been affected by sepsis,’ he adds.

‘By raising levels of public awareness, we’ll save lives in the future. The

problem of sepsis is now every bit as urgent as meningitis.’

Years of awareness campaigns have meant most parents have a dread of meningitis, which can kill in hours, and the symptoms have become familiar to many.

The signs of sepsis are less known despite it killing 1,000 young children a year, around ten times the death rate from meningitis.

The Mail’s ‘End the Sepsis Scandal’ campaign, which started in January, was triggered by the revelation that a catalogue of errors led to the death of 12-month-old William Mead in 2014.

A series of doctors and other medical staff failed to realise he had a dangerous infection.

Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of NHS England, will today write to every hospital in the country, explaining he expects them to back the campaign.

‘This work has been driven by the desire of doctors, nurses and other health professionals to unite and take action,’ he said.

‘This campaign is an important addition to our ongoing work – we will never treat sepsis in time unless everyone “thinks sepsis”.’

Sepsis occurs when a bacterial infection – such as septicaemia or blood poisoning – sparks a violent immune response in which the body attacks its own organs. But it is notoriously difficult to diagnose and life-saving antibiotics are often given too late.

Forty-five per cent of Britons do not know the symptoms even though it hits an estimated 200,000 people a year.

Its death toll is greater than that from breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined.

A national audit last year found there were delays in diagnosing sepsis in 36 per cent of cases. Mr Hunt admitted earlier this year that the NHS’s approach to sepsis was ‘totally inadequate’ and agreed to plan the campaign to improve the way that ‘red flags’ for the illness are recognised.

The UK Sepsis Trust estimates the campaign could save 14,000 lives a year – 38 a day.

‘This awareness campaign is a crucial step forward,’ said Dr Ron Daniels, the charity’s chief executive. ‘ Clinicians and members of the public can save thousands of lives every year if they just ask: could it be sepsis?’

He said he was delighted at the launch of the campaign, but warned: ‘ System-wide improvements to sepsis care must follow.’

The first stage will focus on children under five. Melissa Mead, the mother of William, has filmed a heart-rending video to be distrib- uted via social media and the online forum Netmums. Mrs Mead, 30, has also written an open letter to mothers, warning them of the dangers.

Next year the campaign will target adults, with plans for warning signs on ambulances.

Health Education England is to start training all doctors and nurses specifically about sepsis for the first time. Hospitals will be docked up to £2million of their annual NHS funding if they do not hit targets for the screening, testing and treatment of sepsis.

Professor Paul Cosford, medical director at Public Health England, said: ‘We know that acting quickly in cases of sepsis can save a child’s life and it is important parents have the information to take action. This campaign gives parents vital information about sepsis, helps them identify the symptoms of sepsis and encourages them to seek the appropriate medical attention.

‘It is important that these messages are widely received which is why I am writing with Sir Bruce Keogh to all NHS medical directors to highlight this campaign and the importance of making all staff aware of the signs of sepsis.’

Parents are advised to go to A&E immediately or call 999 if their child looks mottled, bluish or pale. Other signs include lethargy, feeling abnormally cold to touch and breathing very fast.