Click here to read the Adult SEPSIS Clinical Guideline
Click here to read the Paediatric SEPSIS Clinical Guideline

The Trust has updated the Sepsis: Recognition, Diagnosis and Early Management in Adults Clinical Guideline which standardises the identification and management of sepsis in adults. The clinical guideline also standardises antimicrobial prescribing for confirmed adult sepsis cases.

Background

In the UK, at least 150,000 people each year suffer from serious sepsis. It causes around 37,000 death each year. The Trust is committed to improving the care provided to patients who have sepsis and ensuring that staff can recognise the signs of sepsis.

Sepsis at STSFT is a multi-disciplinary and Trustwide issue which all members of staff need to be aware of. This page contains resources for staff, key contacts, links to guidance for various patient groups and external guidelines.

 

About Sepsis - Sepsis Trust

 

Adult Emergency Department

Screening for Sepsis in Urgent and Emergency Care is carried out following completion of a Patient's National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) where the score is NEWS2 >5 or higher than the last recorded NEWS2 recorded.

The sepsis screening tool has been embedded into MediTech and the below guidance should be used in conjunction with the Trust's Clinical Guideline for Sepsis.

Adult Inpatients

All inpatients must have a full set of observations (respiratory rate, oxygen saturations, pulse, blood pressure, Glasgow coma scale, temperature and pain score) on presentation to the ward. The observations will be entered into Meditech V6 to create a NEW score. NEWS greater than or equal to 5 ≥ (and/or patient looks sick/clinical concern) will trigger a sepsis screening message or warning. The attending nurse will then complete the Sepsis Screening Tool (adult).

Where a positive sepsis screen is documented, clinicians are required to identify in the system whether the patient has sepsis i.e. complete the Sepsis Grading Tool. This can be completed at the point of documentation of the in-patient notes and also as a separate document. This grading must be completed within 60 minutes of the NEWS that triggered screening.

Maternal Sepsis

Sepsis remains a leading cause of direct maternal death in the UK (MMBRACE-UK, 2017). Observations made in the ante/postnatal period and during labour are recorded on the observations chart on PCS. The sepsis toolkit becomes mandatory and should be completed if any sepsis triggers are present.

When sepsis is suspected or diagnosed in maternity there are certain investigations which can be ordered as a bundle through V6. These are grouped under “Sepsis (Maternity) order set on V6”.

External Resources

For more information about Sepsis, it's detection, management, guidelines and policy you may wish to look at the following resources:

Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

NHS England Publication

  • NHS Rightcare has released a Sepsis scenario narrative using a fictional patient `Rob' that details best practice in recognising and treating Sepsis in different situations. It can be viewed here:
  • NHS Rightcare Scenario: Sepsis

Society of Critical Care Medicine:

The UK Sepsis Trust:

NICE:

World Sepsis Day:

World Sepsis Day is an initiative by the Global Sepsis Alliance and has been established in 2012. The GSA ia a non-profit charity organization with the mission to provide global leadership to reduce the worldwide burden of sepsis.

The below link takes you to the World Sepsis Day toolkit where resources such as information leaflets and awareness posters can be downloaded:-

AHSN:

Contacts

Nikhil Majmudar: Trust Sepsis Lead; 
Bleep 51255
nikhil.majmudar@nhs.net

Rob Duncan (Practitioner Lecturer & CCOT Lead)
Bleep 52250
robin.duncan@nhs.net

Gary Schuster (Head of Clinical Effectiveness)
gary.schuster@nhs.net

Julie Jones (Assistant Clinical Effectiveness Manager)
julie.jones7@nhs.net

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