Sepsis Missed by GP
Recent research has suggested that approximately 250,000 people develop sepsis in the UK each year. Of that number, in excess of 40,000 die from it. And yet the training of GPs regarding this life-threatening condition appears to be inadequate.
Sepsis symptoms and effects
The majority of sepsis cases develop in out-of-hospital settings and yet it is a condition which is not always recognised by GPs and other professionals in the community.
The early recognition of sepsis symptoms is crucial to achieving a good outcome for the patient. A failure to treat promptly can allow the condition to develop rapidly, causing an array of life-threatening problems, requiring the patient to be admitted to intensive care and risking the failure of multiple organs and the death of the patient.
The UK Sepsis Trust identifies the signs of sepsis which should prompt the patient to seek medical attention urgently as the following:
- Slurred speech and confusion
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain
- Failure to pass urine
- Severe breathlessness
- Mottled or discoloured skin
- Feeling extremely unwell
Spotting sepsis in the community
The difficulty of diagnosing sepsis in the community combined with the urgency of doing so has led to an attempt to simplify the process by identifying the condition with minimum of complexity and the qsofa screening tool has been developed specifically for out-of-hospital diagnosis by measuring the following patient signs:
- Low blood pressure
- Raised breathing rate
- Altered mental state such as confusion
The Royal College of GPs noted in their Sepsis Summit report last year that there is inconsistency in levels of awareness amongst medical professionals nationwide as well as a diversity of approaches to management of the illness. It further recognised the need for additional training for the following groups:
- GPs
- Nurses in the community
- Healthcare support workers
- Pharmacists
- Ambulance paramedics
The government has also tried to address the threat of sepsis by launching campaigns to raise awareness in the community in an attempt to ensure that patients and their doctors or carers, of whatever nature, recognise the symptoms of the condition and seek help as a matter of emergency.
Medical negligence
It has been recommended that someone developing sepsis requires intravenous antibiotics within an hour of diagnosis. Clearly, if that diagnosis is delayed, treatment will be likewise delayed and the patient is likely to suffer a significantly worse outcome as a result.
Speak to a solicitor
If you or a loved one have suffered the shocking, long-term effects of sepsis due to a failure by your medical professionals to recognise the symptoms of this common condition, ring Glynns Solicitors to discuss your situation with a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
It may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation for your pain, suffering and associated losses.
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