Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
Part of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
May 2018
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
Page 5 Best foot forward with exercise app
What is sepsis? Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that affects an estimated 150,000 people in the UK every year. It occurs when the body’s natural response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs. If not recognised early and treated quickly, sepsis can lead to septic shock, organ failure and even death. Approximately 44,000 people die each year as a result of sepsis – more than from bowel, breast and prostate cancer combined. It’s estimated that a quarter of deaths could be avoided. Sepsis can be caused by a huge variety of common bacteria, which we all come into contact with every day without them making us ill. On occasion, the body responds abnormally to these infections and causes sepsis. Sepsis can develop following chest or water infections, problems in the abdomen like a ruptured stomach ulcer, or simple skin injuries like cuts and bites, and although there are certain groups in whom sepsis is more common – the very young and very old, people with multiple health issues, people with impaired immunity and pregnant women – it can occur in anybody, regardless of their age or health status.
Could it be sepsis? It can be hard to recognise sepsis as symptoms can be similar to flu-like symptoms – they come on very quickly and usually begin with a general feeling of being unwell. Symptoms of sepsis: ■ Slurred speech ■ Extreme shivering and muscle pain ■ Passing no urine (in a day) ■ Severe breathlessness ■ “I feel I might die” ■ Skin mottled or discoloured
If you suspect sepsis, seek medical attention right away.
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Pages 8&9 Global review for eye experts
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Think Sepsis to save lives Colleagues have been urged to reduce the risks of spreading infection by making prevention and control a crucial part of their daily routines. Campaigns like World Hygiene Day on May 5 aim to raise awareness of skin health while Glove Awareness Week focuses on the appropriate use of gloves by nursing staff. The Trust’s Infection and Prevention Control team will be visiting all wards at QEHB across the week to share the life-saving messages as part of their ongoing work throughout the year. Kerry Holden, Senior Infection Prevention and Control Nurse, said: “We all know how important it is to prevent and control infection but when people are under pressure it can be simple to cut corners. “We want to remind people that the procedures are there for a reason and it is important each of us takes responsibility for the way we work and plays a part in reducing infection.” A new initiative Think Sepsis was rolled out in
2017 to highlight the risks of the life-threatening condition that affects an estimated 150,000 people each year. Kerry said: “If not recognised early and treated quickly, sepsis can lead to septic shock, organ failure and even death. Sepsis is a medical emergency and if not recognised and treated in a timely manner there can be devastating consequences on both patients and their families. “The good news is that with urgent basic care we can make a real difference between survival and death in sepsis, therefore we need everyone to ‘think sepsis’. “Think Sepsis is a concept that encourages every healthcare worker to consider a diagnosis of sepsis for every patient that presents to them acutely unwell or with an acute deterioration in their condition.” For further information contact the team on ext: 13732. For information about the World Health Organisation’s work visit ¬ www.who.int/infection-prevention
The gloves are off Glove Awareness Week, an initiative launched by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), aims to highlight when gloves should and shouldn’t be worn and how to look after your skin to prevent infection. The Infection Prevention and Control team will be visiting all wards at QEHB from April 30 with the key message of challenging inappropriate glove use and the newly-launched practice of removing gloves for the preparation of IV medication. Approximately one in five nurses develop hand dermatitis – a painful, debilitating condition which may require nursing staff to be moved out of clinical areas due to the risk of infection from damaged skin. Hand dermatitis can be caused by frequent exposure to water, cleaning agents and inappropriate glove use. Are you glove aware? Over or under use of gloves can put you and your patients at risk of infection. We use 24 million gloves a year at QEHB, and evidence suggests
40% of glove use is inappropriate. Types of glove fall into two main categories – examination and protective. It is therefore crucial to carry out a risk assessment to decide whether, and which type of gloves, to wear. For more information on Glove Awareness Week, visit the RCN’s website ¬ www.rcn.org.uk/get-involved/ campaigns/glove-awareness
Research Showcase Breakthroughs and innovation are on display later this month at the annual Birmingham Health Partners Research Showcase. Visitors will be able to discover the latest medical and sensory devices being used to diagnose or treat a host of conditions and uncover how we are collaborating across the region to uncover how our genetic make-up may influence rare diseases and cancer. With over 15 exhibits across a full range of medical specialties, visitors will be able to see the latest developments in the treatment of scars, strokes, traumatic brain injuries and hearing loss. Pioneering surgical techniques will be on view to show how the Trust and University are leading the way on innovations that are changing and saving patient lives. The showcase gives members of the public the insider’s view of what happens in clinical research with interactive games and displays and is open for patients, visitors and staff. Teams from across Birmingham Health Partners (a strategic collaboration between University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust) will also be on hand to let you know how you can help make a difference in healthcare by getting involved in clinical research. The showcase, celebrated on International Clinical Trials Day as part of the National Institute for Health Research’s ‘Ok to Ask’ campaign, will also look at the developments in local clinical research in the 70th anniversary year of the NHS from across the decades. Exciting developments in the past year include the opening of a dedicated medical devices testing centre which is speeding up the application of technology into use in health care; improved knowledge about rare diseases and cancer, through looking at our genes; and advances in areas such as audiology, cardiology and gastro-intestinal care. All outpatients can express their interest in clinical research to their consultant or clinical teams. Thousands of patients in 2017 participated in hundreds of studies across BHP hospitals, boosting the West Midlands to become the second-placed region in the UK for patient involvement. For more information, email: ƀ showcase@uhb.nhs.uk v Friday 18 May (10:00–15:00) J Atrium (Main Entrance), Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, B15 2GW
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