Mark Francois MP has attended an event in Parliament in anticipation of World Sepsis Day on
Saturday 13th September and backed calls from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Sepsis
and The UK Sepsis Trust of the need for greater awareness of sepsis.
Over 70 MPs and peers attended, including 'Bionic Peer' Lord Mackinlay who was left a quadruple
amputee after his own battle with sepsis in 2023, all of whom pledged their support for UKST's Sepsis
Awareness Month campaign.
Sepsis is life-threatening and claims 11 million lives globally every year, including 48,000 in the UK.
It’s triggered by the immune system’s over-reaction to an infection – which can be viral, bacterial or
fungal. Common causes of sepsis include chest infections and UTIs – but any type of infection could
lead to sepsis, such as a simple bite or sting.
Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test, and the signs and symptoms can vary hugely. As a result, sepsis
can be challenging to diagnose. It’s therefore critical that all acutely unwell patients are treated
promptly and appropriately regardless of cause, which is why awareness of the early signs is so
important.
Commenting on the event, Mark said:
“I was very pleased to show my support for The UK Sepsis Trust’s work, alongside my friend and
colleague, Lord Mackinlay, including the need to spread awareness of the early signs of Sepsis among
my constituents in Rayleigh and Wickford as we approach World Sepsis Day this Saturday
13th September.”
“If you’re concerned about someone, even if you’re unsure that it's sepsis, it's always best to ‘Just
Ask: could it be sepsis?’ and seek medical advice."
