Updated resources – Recognising sepsis in a child

Ahead of World Sepsis Day on 13 September, we are delighted to share this updated Parent Tip and Good Practice Point, focusing on recognising sepsis in children.

Sepsis is a rare but serious condition. It happens when the body’s response to an infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. It is also known as blood poisoning or septicaemia.

Sepsis needs treatment in hospital straight away because it can get worse quickly. It is important to recognise the signs as early as possible.

“Supporting parents to spot the signs of sepsis is a vital part of health education for families and there is no one better placed to offer this than health visitors. This education is so important not only because we do not want to miss sepsis, but also because it is so important to help parents decide which signs they should really worry about when seeking the right health service for their child when they are unwell,” says David James, Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine at University Hospital Southampton.

This Parent Tip explains what sepsis is and what symptoms parents should look out for.

Go to PT - Recognising sepsis in a child

This Good Practice Point (GPP) aims to equip health visitors in their work supporting parents to recognise the signs of sepsis. It sets out what health visitors need to know about sepsis and is designed to raise awareness of the condition. Sepsis can be potentially life-threatening; parents know their children best and their concerns need to be taken seriously.

Go to GPP - supporting parents to recognise sepsis

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Please note that GPPs are available to iHV members.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

The iHV is a self-funding charity – we can only be successful in our mission to strengthen health visiting practice if the health visiting profession and its supporters join us on our journey. We rely on our membership to develop new resources for our members.

So do join us now!

New Good Practice Points – Recognising Sepsis in a child

The iHV is delighted to share new Good Practice Points:

NEW: GPP – Recognising Sepsis in a child

These Good Practice Points, authored by Elizabeth Tinsley FiHV, Sister Paediatric A&E, set out what health visitors need to know about recognising Sepsis in a child.

They outline some practical measures along with up-to-date evidence and references.

Download GPP Recognising Sepsis in a child

Please note that these GPPs are available to iHV members only.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

So do join us now!

Sepsis resources – helpful for parents/and carers of children

The Clinical Policy Unit at NHS England has provided links to resources around sepsis which would helpful for parents/and carers of children. So please do share with your parents and families.

The resources they recommend are:

NHS Choices video - Spotting the Signs of Sepsis

NHS Choices video - Caring for Children with Fever at Home

The Sepsis Trust - Handbook for parents

For our members, we keep links to resources in our A-Z Library of resources. Please see our Sepsis resource page

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

So do join us now!

PHE Guidance – Sepsis in children: advice for health visitors and school nurses

This short guide sets out what health visitors and school nurses need to know about sepsis; and is to designed to raise awareness of sepsis locally amongst health visitors and school nurses and their teams.

This guidance includes:

causes and symptoms of sepsis
support for parents
additional resources for health visitors and school nurses

Parents often have regular contact and an ongoing relationship with health visitors and school nurses; as such they may be the first point of contact for parents who have a concern. Services provided by health visitors and school nurses are not intended to provide a first line treatment or diagnostic service for acutely unwell children, however, when an unwell child attends their service, the practitioner must have the knowledge to support parents to make a decision about the most appropriate course of action and signpost them to the appropriate help based on the child’s presenting symptoms.

Health visitors and school nurses should therefore be aware of the clinical signs and symptoms of sepsis in children and of relevant national guidelines. They need to have clarity on actions that need to be taken and be clear about the advice for parents (NICE CG160, 2013).

Go to PHE Guidance - Sepsis in children: advice for health visitors and school nurses (Oct 2017)

Secretary of State backs sepsis diagnosis in young campaign

Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, has committed to a campaign to support earlier diagnosis of sepsis in young children.

The campaign is calling on those who engage with parents of under 5s to help raise awareness by displaying the free resources available from the Public Health England Campaign Resource Centre.

You can also find out more information about spotting the symptoms of sepsis in children by watching HEE’s film and accessing the HEE range of e-learning materials

Secretary of State backs sepsis diagnosis in young campaign

Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, has committed to a campaign to support earlier diagnosis of sepsis in young children.

The campaign is calling on those who engage with parents of under 5s to help raise awareness by displaying the free resources available from the Public Health England Campaign Resource Centre.

You can also find out more information about spotting the symptoms of sepsis in children by watching HEE’s film and accessing the HEE range of e-learning materials

HEE launches e-Learning to encourage healthcare professionals to “Think Sepsis”

Health Education England e-Learning for Healthcare (HEE e-LfH), in partnership with the Royal College of General Practitioners, has launched an e-learning programme for healthcare professionals about sepsis.

“Think Sepsis” aims to improve the diagnosis and early management of sepsis in primary care. The e-learning includes five sessions:

Session 1 – Overview of Sepsis
Session 2 – Adult Sepsis
Session 3 – Childhood Sepsis
Session 4 – Complex Sepsis Issues and Future Development
Session 5 – Sepsis, Care Homes and the Frail Elderly.

Every year 123,000 cases of sepsis occur in England and there are approximately 37,000 deaths. Prompt recognition of sepsis and rapid intervention will help reduce the number of deaths occurring annually.

The e-learning programme has been developed for GPs and healthcare professionals working in primary care including nurses, health visitors, midwives, pharmacists and paramedics. “Think Sepsis” follows the recommendations of the new NICE guideline on sepsis recognition, diagnosis and early management which were launched this week.

To complement the e-learning programme a film has also been developed. The short film features the story of Jason Watkins and Clara Francis who tragically lost their daughter Maude aged just three to undiagnosed sepsis in 2011. The film highlights the key signs that healthcare workers should be looking out for and asks them to think: ‘could this be sepsis?’ when assessing and diagnosing patients.

To view the film: Think sepsis: a film for all healthcare workers involved in the care of sick children

To access the e-learning visit the e-LfH website