The guidance (www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG51) urges doctors, nurses and paramedics to consider sepsis early on when treating any patients unwell with infections. The question, ‘could this be sepsis?’, must be at the forefront of their mind when examining and taking a history from the patient.
With sepsis it is critical that treatment is administered as soon as possible, because delay can lead to severe organ failure, shock and death. Sadly it is often missed, and early intervention can be the difference between life and death.
The patient can present with an initial problem, which can be quite mild and start anywhere. Examples could be from a cut finger or a chest / urine infection. Sometimes the patient’s condition can deteriorate and typical presentations would be rapid breathing, pain and generally feeling unwell. This deterioration could be the developing sepsis. This is due to the body’s own natural immune system overreacting in its efforts to overcome the initial infection.
If left untreated, sepsis sets off a cascade of reactions - from shock to organ failure and even death. The outcome, from a lack of timely diagnosis and treatment of sepsis, can be catastrophic for patients and their families.
At Anthony Collins Solicitors, we have a specialist clinical negligence and personal injury team who represent patients and their families that have suffered significant injuries, and in some case the tragic loss of a loved one. All of this could be avoided with a timely consideration, by a doctor or paramedic, of the possibility of sepsis as a cause for the presenting symptoms and an immediate referral to hospital.
Sepsis can develop in both adults and children. The difficulties with diagnosis in children is difficult and the publication of the new NICE guidelines coincides with a safety alert from NHS Improvement calling for reform to prevent children deteriorating unnoticed in hospitals from conditions, such as sepsis. We have welcomed the raising of awareness of these issues through these new guidelines, which will hopefully go some way to preventing injury and saving lives.
If you, or someone you know, want to know more about the services we provide, and how we have successfully brought claims against hospitals and GPs in instances where there may have been a delay in diagnosis of a medical causing an injury or a death, then please contact us. We are happy to talk to you on a free no obligation basis.
Further information
If you require any further information or wish to speak to any of our team, please contact us on 0121 200 3242 or email us at sarah.huntbach@anthonycollins.com
A recent publication by the Transport Committee recommends that pavement parking be made illegal and for new offences to be introduced.
Our response to the Government’s consultation “A New Deal for Renting” has now been submitted following the consultation closing on 12 October.
In response to the Women and Equalities Select Committee Report back in July 2018 on sexual harassment in the workplace, the Government is looking at a number of initiatives.
What do you do if an employee persists in raising the same concern, again and again, taking up copious amounts of management time and patience
Creating an inclusive and diverse workplace culture is no longer seen as “management speak” but rather as a necessity for success.
The Court of Appeal held that no pro-rata mechanism was included in the Working Time Regulations 1998, and so part-year employees were entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday just like their colleagues wo
This quarter our spotlight piece focuses on Brexit following the updated briefing note issued by the National Housing Federation (NHF) to help the housing sector prepare for a no-deal Brexit.
In the latest Chambers and Partners rankings, Anthony Collins Solicitors has maintained its position as a Band 1 law firm.
An issue being brought into public view in the latter part of this decade, thanks to a healthy handful of royals and celebrities, is the existence of hidden disabilities.
Whilst we all wait in limbo for the UK’s future in Europe, Hazel covers some basics worth noting...
To receive invitations to our events, as well as information and articles on legal issues and sector developments that are of interest to you, please sign up to Newsroom.