For many, February is the month of love, with St. Valentine’s sitting squarely in the middle of it. And believe us when we tell you… there is a LOT to love about the news we have to share with you now. In fact, it’s hard to know where to start!
Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, named as new Patron of Sepsis Trust NZ
We are honoured to announce the appointment of Former Prime Minister and
one of New Zealand’s most respected global public health leaders, Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, as our new Patron.
Her appointment brings an unparalleled depth of global leadership and public health experience to the role, signalling to government, clinicians, funders and the public that sepsis is a serious, system-level health priority worthy of national and international attention.
As former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Co-Chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, Helen Clark has spent decades advancing health equity, strengthening health systems, and championing prevention and early intervention worldwide.
During her tenure at UNDP, Helen Clark oversaw programmes addressing maternal and newborn health, communicable diseases, and health system resilience in low- and middle-income countries, all areas in which sepsis is a major but often under-recognised contributor to mortality. Her leadership on pandemic preparedness has also highlighted the critical importance of early detection, coordinated response, and public awareness, principles central to effective sepsis prevention and treatment.
Helen Clark says she was pleased to take on the role and support the Trust’s work.
“Sepsis is a major cause of avoidable death and disability, yet it remains poorly understood by the public and too often recognised too late."
“Improving awareness, strengthening health system responses, and addressing inequities in outcomes are essential.
“I am delighted to support Sepsis Trust NZ in its efforts to save lives and improve care,” she says.
Learn more here.
New Sepsis Pathways now in use in Primary Care
New pre-hospital sepsis pathways have been published to support earlier recognition and treatment of sepsis in the community, and are now available on the Health Quality & Safety Commission Te Tāhū Hauora (the Commission) website.
The Commission worked in partnership with Sepsis Trust NZ, HealthPathways and the national multidisciplinary Sepsis Technical Advisory Group to update the pre-hospital community sepsis pathways.
These tools are designed to support health professionals working in community and pre-hospital settings to recognise sepsis early and initiate timely management. This includes GPs, midwives, paramedics, and anyone working in community health.
They sit alongside the sepsis pathways for use in hospital settings, published last September, and endorsed by Health New Zealand:
The new pre-hospital pathways provide clear, standardised guidance to help identify suspected sepsis, initiate time-critical care, and ensure rapid escalation to emergency departments. They align with national sepsis principles and reinforce the importance of early antibiotics, fluid resuscitation, and clear clinical handover.
The pathways are particularly relevant as 80% of sepsis cases start in the community, with patients often first presenting to general practice, after-hours services, or being referred to ambulance care.
Improved alignment between primary care and pre-hospital services aims to reduce delays, strengthen communication, and support continuity of care once patients transition to hospital.
Clinicians are encouraged to continue maintaining a high index of suspicion for sepsis, especially in older adults, Māori and Pacific peoples, those with comorbidities, and patients with recent infections or deterioration.
Early referral and clear documentation of sepsis concern will help ensure the pathways are activated promptly.
On the hunt for new Superhero Trustees
Do you have governance experience and a desire to play a more active role in the Trust’s activities?
In readiness for the new financial year, and with the recent establishment of a Clinical Advisory Committee for exiting clinical trustees, we are now actively seeking up to four new trustees to sit alongside our three incumbents.
The roles of Chair and Treasurer are to be vacated as part of this shift, and applicants are therefore welcome to express interest in these positions as part of their submission.
Here are the skills we are looking for:
Governance knowledge and strategic leadership
Clinical or health system knowledge (primary or secondary care)
Lived experience of sepsis (survivors or whānau)
Māori leadership and Te Tiriti-based approaches
Pasifika leadership and other culturally grounded community leaders
Knowledge of New Zealand’s charity and funding landscape
While previous governance experience is welcome, it is not essential.
Our voluntary board meets online approximately six times per year, but trustees are also available to the CEO for specific duties and advice via the Chair.
Click here to learn more or apply.
Join our growing support network
And finally, it’s been wonderful to see an increase in members of our private online support community.
Our newly invigorated Facebook support page, is now moderated by Carol Goldie-Anderson, who is a support and education specialist in the field of change, loss and grief. She is also a sepsis survivor.
There is lots of information and advice available here, as well as the chance to seek or offer support in a safe, private and carefully moderated space.
For peer-to-peer support moderated by Carol, you can join our Facebook Support Group by clicking here.
We also offer quarterly online support meetings, run by our clinical nurse specialist in Sepsis, Cam Howard, via Teams for anyone who is recovering from sepsis or for those who have previously had sepsis. These meetings are one hour in duration and they are held quarterly (late January, April, July, and October).
To register for our next quarterly support meeting scheduled, please complete the form by clicking the button below, and you will be sent the Teams link to join the meeting 48 hours before the meeting is due to start.
For all the details on support services available through the Trust, and other useful links and suggestions, please here.
