Victory as Mail’s sepsis drive raises public awareness

SCOTS’ awareness of deadly sepsis and its symptoms has risen in a major campaign victory for the Scottish Daily Mail.

More than 1.3million people have been targeted in a national campaign demanded by this newspaper to tackle the killer condition.

Today, on World Sepsis Day, the Scottish Government has unveiled the results of the campaign six months after its launch.

They show more Scots are aware of the disease and of the need for urgent medical attention in the first hour.

The Scottish Government began warning the nation about the lifethreatening condition in February.

The ‘Sepsis: Knowing the Signs’ posters are displayed in high street pharmacies across the country and there has also been a campaign on radio, print and social media.

Sepsis kills someone in Scotland every four hours – more people than breast and prostate cancer combined, but early detection and treatment can save lives.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: ‘This campaign was a milestone and the results we are announcing today, on World Sepsis Day, show this campaign has increased the public’s understanding of the symptoms and action needed to save lives.’

Following the launch, knowledge of symptoms such as confusion, cold or blotchy hands and feet, uncontrollable shivering, very high or low temperature, and going to the toilet less rose from 45 per cent to 49 per cent.

The number of people aware of the disease, which can be triggered by an infection in any part of the body, increased from 75 per cent to 77 per cent.