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Member of Parliament for Amber Valley

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Sepsis Awareness

On 10th September I attended a reception in the Palace of Westminster to show my support for efforts to tackle the relatively unknown illness Sepsis, which claims the lives of 37,000 people every year in the UK. The event supported World Sepsis Day (13th September), which aims to raise awareness of a condition that kills more people than breast cancer, bowel cancer and prostate cancer combined, as well as discussing the launch of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs. It can lead to shock, multiple organ failure, and death, especially if it is not recognised early and treated promptly. Sepsis is the leading cause of death from infection around the world and, despite advances in modern medicine like vaccines, antibiotics, and acute care experts believe not enough is being done to save lives.

While Sepsis is a condition which may not hit the headlines, it is deadly. It is a little known life threatening illness that claims the lives of 37,000 people in the UK every year. If timely interventions proposed by the UK Sepsis Trust were adopted across the NHS it could save up to 12,500 lives a year and the NHS money.

In Amber Valley there are an average of 140 cases of severe sepsis per year and more than 50 deaths. Simple, timely interventions could instantly cut deaths from sepsis by more than 50%.

I was keen to show my support for efforts to tackle the disease and save lives. I want to see Sepsis viewed as a medical emergency.