Staff at BMI The Saxon Clinic in Milton Keynes fight sepsis with fun

Every department in hospital came together to bake a whole host of sweet treats for sale in the main reception for staff, consultants, visitors and patients.

Favourites included the Malteaser squares, beautifully adorned purple and chocolate cupcakes and the good old brownie.

The bake sale was organised by quality and risk manager Sally Amos and members of the hospital’s new Quality Action committee which is chaired by Sally.

Unfortunately earlier this year Sally’s own daughter fell extremely ill with Sepsis from a breast abscess acquired during early breastfeeding. It was at this time Sally realised there was a critical need to make people more aware of the causes and symptoms of sepsis and what to do if you suspect you or a loved one have contracted it.

Sally said: “Nationally, we are seeing an increase in the incidence of blood sepsis, but early detection can significantly improve the outcome for thousands of people. Older people, the very young and people who have recently had surgery, are at higher risk of developing this condition and it’s important for us, as healthcare professionals, to talk about the risks and constantly remain vigilant in order to protect our patients.”

“Sepsis is a condition which affects 123,000 people annually and which, left untreated, can be fatal. Figures suggest it is responsible for around 37,000 deaths a year in England alone.”

Up to now the amount raised by the hospital for The UK Sepsis Trust, from the bake sale alone, is £130. However the hospital is still receiving donations.

The awareness aspect of the day was also extremely successful with many people stopping to talk about their own experiences, past and present of sepsis. Sally also arranged some fun but educational games for staff to win prizes, these included a sepsis crossword, a sepsis quiz and a find the fact flags treasure hunt. The resuscitation team also did a sepsis emergency scenario to highlight the critical nature of the infection.

Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Dr Mansoor Raza said: “England data shows that the incidence of sepsis is rising by approximately 11.5% each year. Early recognition and treatment is key to improving sepsis outcomes. I thoroughly support BMI The Saxon Clinic in this fight against what I know is a challenging condition. This initiative will hopefully empower patients and carers to recognise early signs and seek help from healthcare professionals. ”

For more information about sepsis see https://sepsistrust.org/