Sepsis decision 'putting lives at risk'

[Northerner]

A call for a national campaign to raise awareness of sepsis has been rejected by the Scottish government, BBC Scotland can reveal.

Campaigners described the decision as "absurd" and "complacent" and said ministers were putting lives at risk.

Sepsis kills about 3,500 people every year in Scotland and is caused when the immune system overreacts to infection.

Early identification is critical and treatment within an hour is vital to reducing the death rate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-41095949

 

[Bubbsie]

An inexplicable decision...absurd indeed...I knew little about sepsis until last year...had a severe infection...went to Hospital...insisted I would not stay as an inpatient...until warned the infection was so severe I was on the point of sepsis...that if I returned home I risked organ failure...how on earth can they be so dammed reckless?

 

[Pine Marten]

Good grief. My son-in-law's sister has many health problems, and was in grave danger of sepsis three years ago when pregnant - the hospital begged and begged her to terminate as it was either her or her baby. In the end and with huge sadness she agreed, and at 21 weeks delivered a son, who died at birth.

What a reckless decision by the Scottish government

 

[Bubbsie]

Good grief. My son-in-law's sister has many health problems, and was in grave danger of sepsis three years ago when pregnant - the hospital begged and begged her to terminate as it was either her or her baby. In the end and with huge sadness she agreed, and at 21 weeks delivered a son, who died at birth.

What a reckless decision by the Scottish government

So sorry to read that PM...so tragically sad...and a strong reminder of how seriously sepsis should be taken...what on earth is wrong with these fools...makes my blood boil!...yes reckless in the extreme.

 

[mikeyB]

This is interesting. It's not a new problem, folk have been dying from sepsis since time immemorial. As the report says, death from sepsis is down 21% in Scotland, so the docs are doing something right, so where is the awareness needed? Is it for the general public to diagnose it? I'm not so sure. It's usually a diagnosis made in folk who are already hospitalised, often in ICUs, not In folks at home.

And it's important to remember that even when diagnosed, and even when treated it's often a terminal event because of total organ failure.

So is this a 'reckless' decision? Is it a public health scandal? No, it's a sensible, considered decision.