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Health professionals told to treat sepsis within the hour

Health
New draft guidance urges hospital staff and GPs to treat children and adults with symptoms of ‘life-threatening’ sepsis within one hour.

The guidance from NICE warns that severe symptom of sepsis – a blood condition that is triggered by an infection or injury, can develop quickly, but with prompt treatment more people are likely to survive and avoid further complications like heart failure or limb amputation. Treatment includes antibiotics and IV fluids.

Its publication follows the launch of a national campaign last year by the health secretary Jeremy Hunt, the UK Sepsis Trust (UKST) and Public Health England (PHE) to raise awareness of the condition in children.

 According to the UKST, sepsis causes 44,000 deaths in England each year.

The campaign has included the distribution of millions of leaflets across the country urging parents of children from birth to age four to take them to A&E or call 999 if they display symptoms.

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