Sepsis is life threatening…if concerned, seek advice immediately and ask #coulditbesepsis?
Get help
Over the past year, Western Australia has significantly expanded its Sepsis Program, demonstrating a strong commitment to addressing this critical health condition. This initiative encompasses several projects designed to improve sepsis care and support across the state.
Led by Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) in partnership with the WA Department of Health, a key achievement has been the statewide implementation of the Paediatric Sepsis Pathway. This whole-of-hospital framework, supported by an educational package featuring e-learning modules and workshops, aims to enhance the delivery of paediatric sepsis care across all WA hospitals. Full implementation is expected by mid-2025, ensuring a consistent standard of care for children affected by sepsis.
Further developments include a locally developed neonatal clinical deterioration and sepsis pathway that will be launched in May 2025 at the Child and Adolescent Health Service neonatal units. Maternity and Adult Sepsis Pathways are scheduled for release in 2025/2026. These pathways will extend the program’s reach, ensuring tailored care for a broader demographic.
Since 2022, the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard Audit at PCH has become an integral component of routine operations. To promote uniformity across the healthcare system, a modified version of the audit template has been provided to all other Health Service Providers (HSPs).
PCH has also collaborated closely with its Consumer Reference Group to expand its Sepsis Consumer Resources, which are now available for use by all HSPs. These resources play a vital role in supporting individuals and families impacted by sepsis, contributing to greater awareness and understanding.
Additionally, the launch of the PCH Post-Sepsis Care Program marks a significant milestone in patient support. This initiative provides comprehensive follow-up care at 3, 6, and 12 months post-discharge for children who have experienced a sepsis-related hospital admission exceeding seven days. By addressing the long-term effects of sepsis, this program ensures ongoing support for young survivors and their families across Western Australia.
These efforts collectively underscore Western Australia’s commitment to advancing sepsis care, education, and post-treatment support.
Sepsis Australia is collaborating with two prominent research collaboratives to establish national research priorities addressing both paediatric and adult sepsis. These collaborations, facilitated by the James Lind Alliance (JLA), represent a pivotal step in guiding research efforts to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.
The project integrates the expertise and perspectives of patients, carers, and clinicians to identify critical gaps in sepsis research. Through this inclusive process, the collaborations aim to generate a ranked top 10 list of key research priorities, ensuring that future investigations are focused on areas of greatest uncertainty and impact.
This partnership highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in addressing complex healthcare challenges like sepsis. By aligning efforts nationally, the initiative seeks to advance research that will improve outcomes and enhance the quality of care for individuals affected by this life-threatening condition.
Further updates on this significant undertaking will be shared as Sepsis Australia continues to drive progress in the field of sepsis research.
Sepsis Australia continues to make significant contributions to the global momentum on sepsis through its management and coordination of the Asia Pacific Sepsis Alliance (APSA) and membership of the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA) Executive Board, a WHO advisor on sepsis.
The 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis is the first multi-year strategic vision aimed at alleviating the significant human, societal, healthcare and economic burden of Sepsis and its sequelae through concerted efforts of UN Member States and multiple stakeholders at national, regional and global levels.
The Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA) initiated and coordinated the development of this document with the engagement of its five Regional Sepsis Alliances, and over 70 member and partner organisations from Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Latin America, and North America. The multi-stakeholder strategic dialogue started in 2023 on the margins of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, followed by sepsis side events in parallel to the 2023 World Health Summit in Berlin and the 77th Session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva in 2024.
The ultimate goal of the 2030 Global Agenda is to avert millions of preventable deaths and disabilities among children, women, and men by stronger positioning of Sepsis in the global health and development architecture and enhancing response capacities to this medical emergency in community and healthcare settings. The strategy aims at reducing the global incidence of Sepsis by at least 25%, improving the survival rates of paediatric and adult patients by over 20%, and reducing the median cost per Sepsis patient per country by 20% from 2017-2020 baselines.
Read more and download the agenda at: 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis
In February 2025, the Global Sepsis Innovations Platform (GSIP) was launched. GSIP aims to foster coordinated discussions and advocacy to address unmet needs in Sepsis R&D for novel vaccines, other prevention interventions, diagnostics, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory therapies, precision medicine, care and rehabilitation, and AI technologies. The five main objectives of GSIP are:
Read more and get involved in GSIP at: Global Sepsis Alliance News
For more news on the global momentum see: Global Sepsis Alliance
Nations across the Asia Pacific are collaborating on activities, strategies and research through the APSA network. One of APSA’s landmark achievements is the publication of guidance for sepsis management in low-resource settings, released in December 2024. This guidance, developed through a global Delphi study, represents a consensus of international experts and provides actionable solutions to address challenges in under-resourced healthcare environments (Ref: Thwaites, L., Nasa, P., Abbenbroek, B., et al. Management of adult sepsis in resource-limited settings: global expert consensus statements using a Delphi method. Intensive Care Med 51, 21–38, 2025).
In 2025, APSA will undertake a Regional Global Burden of Disease sub-study, utilising data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), pending the finalisation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and the release of new Global Burden of Disease data on Sepsis.
Sepsis Australia is also actively contributing to the development and implementation of Sepsis National Action Plans. By providing a detailed template and expert guidance for building consensus, the organisation is helping countries across the region improve their strategic response to sepsis. A regional stocktake and quality appraisal of these action plans are underway to ensure their effectiveness and alignment with global best practices.
Through these initiatives, Sepsis Australia delivers on its commitment to advancing sepsis prevention, treatment, and policy on a global scale underscoring the importance of international collaboration in addressing this life-threatening condition and improving outcomes for affected individuals worldwide.
Read more about APSA and get involved at: Asia Pacific Sepsis Alliance
A big congratulations to A/Prof Naomi Hammond, Head, Critical Care Program and Sepsis Australia at The George institute for Global Health, for her appointment to Executive Director of Research, Northen Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD). In addition to this recent appointment, Naomi received the Chief Executive Commendation Award at the NSLHD 2023 Exceptional People Awards ceremony.
Naomi’s expertise and wealth of knowledge continually solidifies her position as a leading health researcher in Australia. We are so grateful and lucky to have you Naomi – thank you for your ongoing dedication and commitment in pursuit of excellence in healthcare.
Sepsis Australia would like to would like to express our sincerest gratitude to GAMA Healthcare Australia for their generous donations and continuous charity work to support the unfunded program of Sepsis Australia. We deeply appreciate GAMA’s commitment to our cause and the impact it will have on the fight against sepsis. In the last 12 months, GAMA Australia have contributed significant funding to Sepsis Australia. Every contribution helps our mission to improve sepsis recognition and clinical care, establish support to foster better outcomes for survivors, and reduce the burden of sepsis in Australia.
Check out the incredible charity work of GAMA below and how they continually think of creative and innovative ways to raise funds for such an important cause.
Thank you GAMA Healthcare, we are so grateful for your ongoing support!
Over the past 12 months, GAMA hosted one event per quarter and along with a Trivia and other challenges.
GAMA’s phenomenal team in Australia dusted off their camera’s and snapped some amazing photographic masterpieces. There were 3 winners who each won a $100 gift voucher and some of the photos which resulted were simply stunning.
GAMA encouraged their employees to clear out their wardrobes and bring any old clothing, blankets, bedding, etc into the office. These donations were then packed up and delivered to the Salvation Army in Melbourne to distribute to those who may need some extra support this winter.
GAMA celebrated World Sepsis Day on 13th September 2023, by holding a “Pink Picnic”. The team celebrated by having a picnic lunch outside in the sunshine.
To find out more information about GAMA Healthcare, click here.
The George Institute/Sepsis Australia and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care are currently planning for the National Sepsis Program (Phase 2 ‘Extension’) that will build on the work achieved in the National Sepsis Program (Phase 1) which saw the launch of the national Sepsis Clinical care Standard. March 2024 is the planned commencement for the Phase 2 program will comprise of five key projects:
Program Governance will include the:
Regular updates will be provided each month to keep you up to date.
In the meantime for more information see:
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/national-sepsis-program
After a small scratch from his puppy, Jake developed a drug-resistant infection, which lead to sepsis. Read more about Jake’s experience, the rise of antimicrobial resistance and the overuse of antibiotics in Australia, here.
The nation’s latest major report on antimicrobial use and resistances has revealed that Australia is heading in the right direction – but there’s still a lot of work to do.
AURA 2023: Fifth Australian report on antimicrobial use and resistance in human health was released by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care on 16 November 2023.
The report highlights trends and analyses in antimicrobial use in hospitals, aged care and primary care settings, as well as changes in resistance that are important for infection prevention and control, and antimicrobial prescribing.
Early treatment with antibiotics can stop sepsis & antimicrobial resistance can be avoided with good antimicrobial stewardship.
Find out more and read the full report here.
Last week a report from the from the UK National Health Service (NHS) ombudsman warned that sepsis is still killing too many patients. The report details avoidable mistakes and makes recommendations to improve patient safety. Read the full article from the Guardian.
Sepsis Australia Program Head, Associate Professor Naomi Hammond commented:
“The parliamentary and health service ombudsman (PHSO) report of sepsis cases in the NHS is an all too familiar story across healthcare settings globally. In an effort to improve recognition and response to sepsis in the Australian healthcare system, a National Sepsis Clinical Care Standard has been developed and released by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare in partnership with Sepsis Australia and The George Institute for Global Health. The goal of the sepsis standard is to ensure patients presenting to any health care setting with signs and symptoms of sepsis receive the optimal care, from symptom onset through to discharge from hospital into the community.”
Find out more about the National Sepsis Clinical Care Standard.
Sepsis Australia Advocacy Group member, Mandy, discusses her experience of Strep A and sepsis in this clip from The Project. We also hear from infectious disease expert Professor Sanjaya Senanayake about the symptoms and signs to look out for.
Mandy and fellow amputee, Korrin Barrett now run the Quad Squad – the world’s only support group for people specifically missing all four limbs. The Quad Squad meets biannually in Australia and is a place where quadruple amputees share tips, ideas, hear from industry experts and support one another.
You can get in touch with Mandy or the Quad Squad through her website or Facebook.