The UK Sepsis Trust is calling on the NHS to make sepsis as much of a priority as heart attacks and strokes.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that kills more people globally than cancer, yet it does not receive the same priority as heart attacks or strokes within our National Health Service (NHS). 

We, the UK Sepsis Trust (UKST), and our supporters are calling on the government to urgently re-prioritise sepsis care, ensuring it is treated with the same level of urgency and resources as other critical medical emergencies.

Why this matters

Sepsis affects 245,000 people in the UK every year and tragically claims 48,000 lives. Despite these alarming statistics, there is still a lack of a comprehensive and consistent approach to sepsis care across the NHS. Our healthcare system must be equipped to diagnose and treat sepsis promptly, with clear and efficient pathways in place to prevent avoidable deaths.

During Covid-19, attention to sepsis care understandably diminished, leading to gaps in timely and effective treatment. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is vital that we refocus our efforts on this life-threatening but often treatable condition. 

Sepsis must be treated with the same seriousness as heart attacks and strokes, with a commitment from the government to provide the necessary resources and support to save lives and improve outcomes for survivors.

The human cost of inaction

Sepsis does not discriminate - it can strike anyone, at any age, often with devastating consequences. 

The heartbreaking stories of families like Duaa Sidahmed and Mohammed Hassan, who lost their son Yousef (pictured above) to sepsis just after his first birthday despite asking doctors if he had sepsis, underscore the urgent need for change. 

For those that do survive the condition, they frequently face long-term health challenges with Post Sepsis Syndrome, and there is a lack of appropriate signposting to free support services, like those provided by UKST. 

Our call to action

The UK Sepsis Trust is therefore urging the government to take immediate steps to improve sepsis outcomes by:

• Measure and publish performance data on the sepsis care pathway. Reliable data are needed to understand the quality of NHS sepsis care, identify opportunities for improvement and provide targeted support where needed.
• Empower frontline decision-making with better integration of rapid diagnostics. There is no single test to diagnose sepsis, but diagnostics help doctors make important decisions about the types of treatment to use. Diagnostic tests are typically done in centralised laboratories, which means clinicians have to wait for the results. Time is of the essence when treating sepsis, so health professionals need access to fast and reliable tests to reduce preventable deaths.
• Raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis and signpost rehabilitation services to reduce pressures on the NHS. Empowering the public to ask “Could it be sepsis?” can help save lives, and ensuring survivors have access to ongoing care and support will help keep them well and out of hospital.
• Ensuring consistent care across the UK: Health is a devolved matter in the UK, and while this petition primarily addresses NHS England, we call on Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to adopt similar measures to ensure that comprehensive and consistent sepsis care is provided across the entire UK.

Join us in demanding change

We, the undersigned, urge the UK government to make sepsis care a top priority within the NHS. By treating sepsis with the same urgency and commitment as other medical emergencies, we can prevent unnecessary deaths and ensure that survivors receive the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Time is of the essence so let’s make sepsis care a priority today. Please sign the petition.