Most New Zealanders have never heard of sepsis.
Unlike patients with major heart, lung, brain (stroke) or cancer diagnoses, “a little bit of sepsis is managed by everyone”.
This means that no one person, department or health discipline is responsible for sepsis or its outcome. This has led to a lack of research, awareness and advocacy which leaves sepsis patients and survivors with no natural advocate in the healthcare system.
It's hard to describe and it can be difficult to detect in its early stages, but if you can recognise the signs and symptoms early it could save a life.
The New Zealand Sepsis Trust aims to take up this role by promoting clinical tools, providing education and fundraising to build awareness and sepsis research capability.
People have often heard of blood poisoning (toto pirau) and septicaemia but sepsis is the accepted term for an overwhelming immune response to infection that damages the body’s tissues and vital organs. The New Zealand Sepsis Trust was formed when we found that no national organisation existed to bring sepsis into the public eye or to facilitate sepsis care and education.
Increasing awareness, saving lives
No preventable deaths from sepsis in New Zealand
Steve is an infectious disease physician and professor in the Department of Pathology at Otago University. Steve has extensive experience in the management of infection-related charities and public sector healthcare organisations and a research background in novel infectious disease diagnostics.
Paul is an acute medicine and infectious disease specialist at Waikato Hospital. He has a long-standing interest in the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of sepsis.
Mania is training to be a medical specialist and is a member of Te Ohu Rata O Aotearoa, the Māori Medical Practitioners Association.
Dan is an emergency medicine physician with an interest in the acute management of patients with infection and sepsis. Dan is at the heart of efforts to improve sepsis recognition and resuscitation in his emergency department.
Robert is an anaesthetist and intensive care physician with an interest in maternal and perinatal sepsis.
There’s a lack of sepsis research, awareness and advocacy in New Zealand often leaving sepsis patients and survivors with no natural advocate in the healthcare system.
