Lives saved by new digital sepsis alerts at Cambridge hospitals

New digital technology is being used at hospitals in Cambridge to help spot the signs of sepsis quicker.

Sixty-four lives have been saved in the last year thanks to the new the "action and alert" system.

The NHS said the technology uses an algorithm, which warns doctors when the infection is developing.

Sepsis, also known as blood poisoning, occurs when the body's response to an infection causes it to attack its own tissues and organs.

More than 35,000 people die from sepsis every year.

The technology sends a pop up message to clinicians if it detects sepsis or signs of deterioration, without the need for doctors to consult separate paper charts.

At hospitals in Cambridge, Liverpool and Berkshire, the number of deaths from sepsis have fallen and screening rates have gone up.

Celia Ingham Clark, medical director for clinical effectiveness at NHS England and NHS Improvement, said: "Sepsis is an extremely serious condition, but as part of the NHS Long Term Plan we have made huge improvements in spotting and treating it quickly, with more than nine in 10 people getting the checks they need.

"Now, with the help of innovative digital tools, the NHS is saving more lives by getting even better at identifying and treating sepsis.

"The systems at Liverpool, Cambridge and Berkshire are life-saving and as more hospitals adopt digital tools, thousands more families will be spared the harm and heartbreak of sepsis."

Plans to roll out the technology at hospitals across the country are under way.

Dr Ron Daniels, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: "Any kind oftechnology which assists clinicians in making prompt decisions when the warning signs of sepsis are detected should be embraced; with every hour that passes before the right antibiotics are administered the risk of death increases.

"The UK Sepsis Trust welcome these initiatives, especially at such a time when the national spotlight is on the swift diagnosis and treatment of sepsis."