Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

World Sepsis Day

13 September 2023 · 4 other contributors · 4,017 words

Opened by Christina Rees Lab Neath

Responding minister: Maria Caulfield

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Christina Rees raised concerns about world sepsis day in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Sepsis claims around 48,000 lives annually in the UK, more than breast, bowel, and prostate cancer combined.
  • The Minister acknowledged the importance of improving sepsis recognition and treatment.
  • The Minister supported the Health Secretary's announcement to explore the introduction of Martha's rule.

Key requests to Government

I urge the Minister to meet me along with representatives from the UK Sepsis Trust to discuss setting up a national sepsis register. Additionally, I ask when the updated NICE clinical guideline on sepsis (NG51) will be published and for an update on the Health Secretary's announcement about exploring Martha's rule.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Christina Rees Lab Neath

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that claims around 48,000 lives annually in the UK, more than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined. The prevalence of sepsis cases reported each year is approximately 240,000, with roughly 40% of survivors experiencing long-term physical or cognitive after-effects. Despite efforts to improve public awareness and early detection through campaigns and training for healthcare workers, there remain many preventable deaths due to delayed diagnosis.

Other contributors (4)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Emphasised that sepsis claims 11 million lives globally each year, more than deaths from bowel, breast and prostate cancer combined. In Northern Ireland, sepsis affects around 7,000 people yearly, with 1,240 losing their lives in 2021.

  • Rachael Maskell Lab Co-op York Central

    Stressed the importance of introducing Martha's law to grant parents a second opinion when they request it for better treatment and management, referencing a personal case where a teenager lost his life despite displaying symptoms. Rachael Maskell highlighted the need to empower patients with a second opinion request, as proposed by Martha's law, and acknowledged Christina Rees's point on public awareness campaigns. She also mentioned the tragic case of William Mead whose family received an apology from Jeremy Hunt after a report found that clinicians missed four opportunities to save his life. In the light of the fact that people suffering from sepsis can rapidly deteriorate, will the Minister ensure that a review of a patient could also be undertaken really quickly, without it becoming a bureaucratic process?

  • Sarah Owen Lab Luton North

    Highlighted that one in five global deaths are attributed to sepsis, occurring every 2.8 seconds worldwide due to lack of access to medical treatment, advocating for increased public and clinical awareness.

  • Seema Malhotra Lab Co-op Feltham and Heston

    Paid tribute to the hon. Friend's courage in raising awareness about sepsis, highlighting the importance of recognising symptoms early and commending the UK Sepsis Trust for its support.

Government Response

Maria Caulfield

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Fovargue. I start by thanking the hon. Member for Neath (Christina Rees) for introducing this important debate on World Sepsis Day. The Minister acknowledged the devastating impact of sepsis and highlighted efforts to improve its recognition and treatment. She supported the Health Secretary's announcement to explore the introduction of Martha's rule, similar to Ryan's rule in Queensland, Australia, aimed at facilitating clinical reviews when patients or families raise concerns about deteriorating conditions. The Government is also working on updating national guidance on sepsis based on recommendations from medical royal colleges and NICE. With over £1 billion a year committed through the National Institute of Health and Care Research for research studies, the Minister highlighted funding for 14 projects since 2017 with a combined total value of £27 million. She also discussed the critical importance of conserving antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance linked to sepsis, noting collaboration across the UK and international efforts to address this global challenge.

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