Sepsis

April 2, 2018

Sepsis kills one person every four hours in Scotland and has been dubbed “the silent killer”.  It is a cause close to our founder Cor’s heart after nearly ending her life 5 years ago and causing the amputations of both her hands and her feet.

We are proud to have been part of this campaign in 2018,  working alongside The Scottish Government and FEAT and were delighted when Health Secretary Shona Robison announced the launch of a major Scottish campaign in Feb 2018 to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis.  Hoping to reach more than 1.3 million people across the country in a media campaign, with every community pharmacy in Scotland displaying posters warning of the signs of sepsis.

Following the Sepsis campaign with The Scottish Government and FEAT:

77% of people are now aware of Sepsis, 79% are aware of the need for urgent treatment, 76% are aware of what to do if they suspect the condition and 49% aware of the symptoms.

HOW TO SPOT SEPSIS IN ADULTS

Seek medical help urgently if you (or another adult) develop any of these signs:

Slurred speech or confusion
Extreme shivering or muscle pain
Passing no urine (in a day)
Severe breathlessness
It feels like you’re going to die
Skin mottled or discoloured

HOW TO SPOT SEPSIS IN CHILDREN

If your child is unwell with either a fever or very low temperature (or has had a fever in the last 24 hours), call 999 and just ask: could it be sepsis?

A child may have sepsis if he or she:

  1. Is breathing very fast
  2. Has a ‘fit’ or convulsion
  3. Looks mottled, bluish, or pale
  4. Has a rash that does not fade when you press it
  5. Is very lethargic or difficult to wake
  6. Feels abnormally cold to touch

A child under 5 may have sepsis if he or she:

  1. Is not feeding
  2. Is vomiting repeatedly
  3. Has not passed urine for 12 hours

Check out NHS and Sepsis Trust for more information about the signs, symptoms and treatment of Sepsis.

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