Meet the team

Background to the charity and its overarching aims

The UK Sepsis Trust was founded in 2012 with a mission to save lives and improve outcomes for survivors of sepsis. The charity’s value lies in its expertise, clinical credibility, independence (from Government and business), reputation, and its strong network of partners and stakeholders.

Headed by a world leader in sepsis, Dr Ron Daniels, the Trust aims to transform outcomes for people developing sepsis, as well as reduce its incidence. To achieve this, the Trust designs and delivers operational clinical tools and pathways into the NHS, together with education and training programmes, influences policy makers to effect systems change, heightens public awareness and supports those affected by sepsis.

Brief resume of this ‘killer’ condition

Sepsis (also known as blood poisoning) is the immune system’s overreaction to an infection or injury. Normally our immune system fights infection – but sometimes, for reasons we do not yet understand, it attacks our body’s own organs and tissues. If not treated immediately, sepsis can result in organ failure and death. Yet with early diagnosis, it can usually be treated with antibiotics. It’s an emergency medical condition that affects at least 245,000 people, and claims 48,000 lives in the UK every year. The latest figures from The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (January 2020) states that globally, 11 million lives are lost annually.