Sepsis Awareness Month: recognising the signs saves lives

September is Sepsis Awareness Month, an important opportunity to raise awareness of a condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK every year. Sepsis can have devastating consequences if not recognised and treated promptly.

According to the UK Sepsis Trust, sepsis affects around 245,000 people in the UK annually and is associated with approximately 48,000 deaths each year.

While outcomes have improved over recent years thanks to greater awareness and advances in treatment, delayed diagnosis of sepsis remains a significant issue and we are regularly contacted by people and their families where a failure to recognise the warning signs has resulted in long-term health problems, or the loss of life.

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s immune system overreacts to an infection. Instead of fighting the infection effectively, the immune response begins to damage the body’s own tissues and organs. If not treated quickly, sepsis can progress to septic shock, organ failure and death.

Sepsis can develop from almost any infection, including:

  • chest infections and pneumonia
  • urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • skin infections
  • abdominal infections
  • infected wounds or surgical sites

Sepsis can affect anyone, but the elderly, babies, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk.

Recognising the signs

One of the challenges with sepsis is that its symptoms can vary considerably and may initially resemble common illnesses such as flu, gastroenteritis or a chest infection.

Symptoms in adults may include:

  • slurred speech or confusion
  • extreme shivering or muscle pain
  • passing little or no urine
  • severe breathlessness
  • mottled, pale or discoloured skin
  • feeling that something is seriously wrong

Symptoms in children may include:

  • breathing very fast or struggling to breathe
  • a fit or seizure
  • appearing unusually sleepy, difficult to wake, or very lethargic
  • confusion or acting unusually
  • mottled, bluish, pale or discoloured skin
  • a rash that does not fade when pressed
  • not passing urine for 12 hours or more
  • feeling abnormally cold to the touch despite having a fever
  • severe muscle pain or extreme weakness

Symptoms in babies and very young children may include:

  • not feeding or feeding much less than usual
  • repeated vomiting
  • a weak, high-pitched or unusual cry
  • floppiness or reduced movement
  • being difficult to wake or unusually sleepy
  • breathing very fast, grunting, or having pauses in breathing
  • a dry nappy for 12 hours or more
  • mottled, bluish, pale or very cold skin
  • a temperature that is very high or, in some cases, unusually low

Symptoms can develop rapidly and should always be taken seriously. Prompt medical assessment and treatment are critical because early intervention significantly improves outcomes.

Why early diagnosis matters

Sepsis is a medical emergency and every hour that treatment is delayed can increase the risk of serious complications.

Early treatment typically involves antibiotics, intravenous fluids and close monitoring. When identified quickly, many patients make a good recovery. However, delays in diagnosis can allow the condition to progress, increasing the likelihood of permanent injury or death.

Many people experience long-term physical, cognitive and psychological difficulties following sepsis, often referred to as post-sepsis syndrome.

Sepsis and medical negligence

Clinicians are expected to assess patients, recognise warning signs and escalate care where clinically indicated but there are occasions where opportunities to diagnose and treat sepsis are missed. Examples may include:

  • failure to recognise symptoms or risk factors
  • delays in investigating an infection
  • failure to refer a patient for urgent treatment
  • delays in administering antibiotics
  • inadequate monitoring of a deteriorating patient

Where earlier intervention would likely have prevented serious harm, patients and their families may have grounds to pursue a medical negligence claim.

How medical negligence claims can help

A successful medical negligence claim cannot undo what has happened, but it can provide financial support for rehabilitation, ongoing care and treatment, loss of earnings and other losses arising from the avoidable injury.

Importantly, claims can also help families obtain answers about what went wrong and encourage improvements in patient safety.

At Penningtons Manches Cooper, our specialist sepsis team supports individuals and families who have been affected by a delayed diagnosis and treatment of sepsis. We understand the devastating impact these cases can have and work closely with clients to investigate concerns and secure the financial support they need for the future.

Emily Hartland, sepsis team lead at Penningtons Manches Cooper, comments: “Sepsis Awareness Month is an important opportunity to spread the word as greater awareness of the signs and symptoms to look out for can help people seek urgent medical attention when it matters most. Sadly, I continue to see cases where delays in the diagnosis or treatment of sepsis have led to avoidable harm and the impact it has on the individual and their family is often devastating. Many face significant physical, emotional and financial challenges long after the initial illness. Raising awareness and encouraging early recognition remains one of the most effective ways to improve outcomes and potentially save lives.”

If you or a loved one has been affected by a delayed diagnosis or treatment of sepsis, please contact our specialist sepsis negligence team or complete our online assessment form.

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