World-first sepsis report findings to be championed by Oldham GP

Over 11 million people globally die of it per year, and it kills more people than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined.

And yet there has never been any research into why sepsis targets certain groups more virulently – until now.

The University of Manchester is working on a study due to be published in a few months-time which definitively proves the condition hits people from poorer backgrounds harder.

And they have chosen Oldham health campaigner Dr Anita Sharma to be their mouthpiece to GPs across the nation.

Sepsis occurs when the body goes into overdrive to try and combat an infection.

And Professor Tjeerd Van Staa from the University believes patients and family doctors need to spot those bacterial, viral and fungal infections more quickly, so they don’t have the opportunity to develop into deadly sepsis.

“GPs need to be more aware of those at high risk of sepsis and treat them more quickly,” said Professor Van Staa, who is leading the research programme.

"Since the lockdown and longer appointment waiting times, this is more difficult.

"There is also another balancing act. Infections are treated with antibiotics, but overuse of these drugs causes bacteria in our bodies to become more resistant to their positive effects.”

The first such study to use both hospital and surgery data on sepsis, the final report will highlight how people in disadvantaged neighbourhood are more adversely affected.

That in turn means that more people from our South Asian community could be suffering.

The founder of the Endometriosis Awareness North charity and a fervent campaigner on women’s health inequalities, Dr Sharma, will play a prominent role in educating her peers at practices up and down the country.

“Poorer living conditions and below par health services mean that people from BAME communities are more susceptible to sepsis,” said Dr Sharma.

“A lot of theories were proffered during COVID to explain the anomaly between them and the rest of society – such as cultural norms and even genetic differences – but it was poverty, squalid housing and less access to healthcare that was the killer.

"The same applies with sepsis.”

Dr Sharma also bemoaned a general lack of awareness towards sepsis throughout society.

She added: “People are definitely more aware of the word than ever before, but they do not really know what the condition is, how it is caused and the difference between this and septicaemia or blood poisoning.

"That is an amazing fact, given that it is the number one cause of preventable death in the world.”

Dr Sharma concluded: “We cannot expect to live in a society where hygiene is so rigorous that we cannot go about our daily business.

"That isn’t good for our immune systems, anyway.

"But we can return to basic practices like handwashing, covering our mouth when we cough and catching a sneeze.

"What we must do is invest more in primary healthcare.

"More resources mean catching conditions early and results in fewer deaths from sepsis and other deadly conditions.

"Too often we send patients to hospital when it is too late; and on rare occasions they actually catch an infection at the hospital that leads to sepsis.”

Professor Van Staa and his team will publish their report (which is funded by the UK Health Security Agency), later this year and Dr Sharma will then commence campaigning through her role as a columnist and respected health writer.

Dr Anita Sharma is the founder of charity Endometriosis Awareness North.

Visit the charity website here

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