Lincolnshire hospitals taking action to help reduce sepsis

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust has introduced the role of sepsis nurse to its hospitals so that they can be treated quickly.

Patients with possible sepsis symptoms are required to be screened and a range of actions should be taken to diagnose and treat it within one hour of the patient arriving. This is called the sepsis six care bundle. Any patients diagnosed with sepsis should also be given antibiotics to treat it within one hour.

Sepsis boxes have also been introduced to areas where patients are most commonly identified as having sepsis. These bright yellow boxes contain everything nursing staff need to urgently diagnose and treat sepsis, including blood culture packs, equipment for cannulation, fluids and antibiotics.

Sepsis nurse at Lincoln and Grantham hospitals, Kat Mayer, said the huge improvement in performance is mostly down to education, and thanks to the national awareness campaign more staff and patients know the signs to look for.

Kat said: “We are really pleased with the progress we have made in such a short space of time and that’s thanks to all of our staff who have made massive efforts.”