Many members will know that the College of Paramedics has been integral to the discussions around sepsis in the UK. Dr Ron Daniels, Chair of the UK Sepsis Trust, has included the College in many preliminary discussions as the pre- hospital phase of sepsis recognition, and treatment can make the difference between life and death for the 37 000 people every year who succumb to this preventable condition.
College of Paramedics East of England Council Member, Tracy Nicholls has been working with the All Party Parliamentary group on Sepsis and has led the Council to develop a response statement to the recent publication by the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman on the treatment of sepsis.
We invite members to forward comments and suggestions regarding the draft statement (below) to membership@collegeofparamedics.co.uk before 30 April 2014.
DRAFT: Response statement on sepsis
The College of Paramedics is aware of the recent publication by the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman of Time to Act; Severe sepsis: rapid diagnosis and treatment saves lives.
The College of Paramedics fully supports measures that improve patient care and the service offered to patients. It further supports the role which ambulance staff and those providing urgent and emergency care in the NHS, military organisations and private sectors play in the detection and initial treatment of those patients showing signs and symptoms of sepsis.
The UK Sepsis Trust has worked with several UK ambulance services in the development of a pre-hospital sepsis screening tool for the early recognition of sepsis patients. These developments have included representation from the College of Paramedics which has seen the profile of the role of ambulance staff gain a much wider focus from those working in the acute setting. Work on the recognition and treatment of sepsis is not confined to England and the College further supports the work of clinicians in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in providing a national approach to the care of sepsis patients.
The Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman report highlights that from the 37 000 people a year that die from sepsis, 12 500 lives can potentially be saved simply by early recognition and timely interventions.
Dr Ron Daniels, Chair of the UK Sepsis Trust, recently told the College:
‘Pre-hospital personnel are at the heart of this change, in streamlining the interface between community-based and acute sector care by screening for sepsis, initiating therapy and pre-alerting receiving units to ensure that the right team greets the patient on arrival.’
The College encourages its members to review this report, support working together with community services and acute sector, and for employers to adopt these recommendations in providing seamless care in the early detection of sepsis which includes using the screening tool, initiating treatment by providing fluid therapy, oxygen (if appropriate) and giving antibiotics where available, and to alert the receiving hospitals of the patients diagnosis and condition. This will provide patients with the earliest opportunity to access the Sepsis Six care bundle approved in the acute setting.
‘ We invite members to forward comments and suggestions regarding the draft statement (below) to membership@collegeofparamedics.co.uk before 30 April 2014 ’
The College is also supporting the UK Sepsis Trust in its work to see the inclusion of sepsis into the NHS Outcome Framework and support the lobbying for sepsis to be included in Domain 5: Treating and caring for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm.
The College of Paramedics recognises the ability of its members to make a difference in patients’ lives while undertaking their roles as clinicians. The ability to prevent death or serious illness from the early detection and therapy of sepsis is highly valued by the College and demonstrates the pivotal role that pre-hospital personnel can play in reducing avoidable deaths and debilitation from this condition.
The College of Paramedics will continue to contribute to discussions with the UK Sepsis Trust and work with all ambulance services throughout the UK, registered paramedics, military members and private providers to raise the profile of sepsis care and treatment.