Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the development and implementation of a sepsis pathway, a standardised treatment plan to ensure sepsis patients receive the right care from the point at which they present their symptoms to a clinician through to receiving their diagnosis.

Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test, and the signs and symptoms can vary hugely. As a result, sepsis can be challenging to diagnose. It is therefore critical that all acutely unwell patients are treated promptly and appropriately regardless of cause. The National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) is a clinical screening tool for the recognition of acutely unwell adults, including those with sepsis. NEWS2 supports clinicians to determine the need for immediate care and is used in 99% of acute trusts and 100% of ambulance trusts in England.

To further support clinical staff and ensure unwell patients are identified promptly and are immediately started on life-saving treatment, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence published updated national guidance in March 2024 on sepsis recognition, diagnosis, and early management, which staff can access alongside NHS England’s online sepsis training programmes. Furthermore, the Department continues to fund research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to improve our understanding of sepsis diagnosis and immediate management.