Parents must be aware of the signs and symptoms of sepsis, a campaign launched by the Public Health England (PHE) has stated.
The focus of the campaign is on parents and carers of young children aged 0 to four years. It has distributed educational materials to GP surgeries to urge parents to seek immediate medical assistance if their child displays signs of sepsis. These include a mottled, bluish or pale appearance, lethargy, and rapid breathing, among others. According to estimates from the UK Sepsis Trust, there are 120,000 cases of sepsis and around 37,000 deaths each year in England.
‘This awareness campaign is a crucial step forward,’ said Ron Daniels, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust. ‘Clinicians and members of the public can save thousands of lives every year if they just ask: ‘could it be sepsis?’
Sepsis has become a major focus for Public Health England (PHE) in recent years. Working in conjunction with Health Education England, the organisation has launched schemes to ensure that clinicians have the skills to treat sepsis. Additionally, a programme to improve screening for sepsis was announced earlier in 2016.
‘Sepsis is a devastating condition that we need to far get better at spotting across the NHS,’ said health secretary Jeremy Hunt. ‘By raising awareness and improving clinical practice we will save lives in the fight against this horrible illness.’