NICE launched their draft sepsis quality standard on 10 March 2017. The West of England AHSN is pleased to note that a number of the quality statements included in these draft standards are already being addressed through regional initiatives as part of our Deteriorating Patient programme.
Quality statements
1. People with suspected sepsis are assessed to stratify risk of severe illness or death using a structured set of observations.
A structured set of observations form the keystone of our work to adopt and spread the use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) across all services in the West of England.
2. People with suspected sepsis in acute hospital settings and at least one criteria indicating high risk of severe illness or death are reviewed by a senior clinical decision-maker within one hour of risk being identified.
The Emergency Department (ED) Safety Checklist, which has been adopted by all EDs in the region, includes the requirement to carry out a NEWS at triage and instigate sepsis pathways for patients at risk of sepsis within the first hour of their attendance in the department. The ED Safety Checklist tool has meant that NEWS calculated at triage on majors and resus patients has increased from an average of 55% to 84% within the first four months of its adoption across the region.
3. People with suspected sepsis in acute hospital settings and at least one criteria indicating high risk of severe illness or death have antibiotic treatment within one hour of risk being identified.
As described above, this quality standard is addressed in the ED Safety Checklist.
4. People with suspected sepsis in acute hospital settings, at least one criteria indicating high risk of severe illness or death, and with lactate over two mmol/litre, have an intravenous fluid bolus within one hour of risk being identified.
Again, this is addressed through the ED Safety Checklist.
We’re very proud of our work in the region that supports the earlier identification of sepsis and the measures we have put in place to respond to it appropriately, and thank our regional trusts and organisations for their engagement in our patient safety programmes.
For further information and resources on our work on the Deteriorating Patient visit weahsn.net/dp.
Posted on March 14, 2017 by Ellie Wetz
