Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) diagnosis, (b) patient management, (c) requestion tests, (d) patient reviews and (e) other aspects of the management of sepsis by NHS Trusts; and if he will commission a review of deaths from sepsis to identify (i) clinical errors and (ii) best practice in the management of patients.

The Department works closely with NHS England and other partners in the health system to support healthcare professionals to detect and treat sepsis. Reports of patient safety events from all trusts in the National Health Service, including on sepsis, are used by NHS England to identify new or under recognised patient safety issues, further areas of review and appropriate action required.

The Secretary of State receives Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) reports, issued by a Coroner in the event of an avoidable death, including from sepsis, outlining any clinical, administrative or policy errors. The Secretary of State has a legal duty to provide a response within 56 calendar days outlining action taken, or proposed and setting out a timetable for action. PFD reports and their responses are published online by the Chief Coroner’s Office.

The responsibility for specific assessments and reviews of sepsis management by NHS Trusts falls to local providers of healthcare.