Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to raise awareness of sepsis with an emphasis on the patient experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17946/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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This matter relates to the work of the HSE National Sepsis Programme which was established in 2014. Placing a focus on sepsis awareness, and promotion of early recognition of sepsis are key elements of the programme.

While the initial priority was on raising awareness among healthcare staff, the focus has since moved to raising awareness in the community. To support this, several patient focused resources (including patient information leaflets, booklets, and posters) have been developed, along with educational and clinical management resources for healthcare staff. These are available on the HSE website under the webpages of the National Sepsis Programme. The work of the programme also supports the implementation of the National Clinical Guideline No. 26: Sepsis Management for Adults (including maternity) and the International Guidelines for the Management of Septic Shock & Sepsis-Associated Organ Dysfunction in Children (SSCGC).

The Department are working with the HSE to increase sepsis awareness. This includes a project to capture the experiences of those affected by sepsis to inform policy and operational responses; and awareness initiative supported by the Women's Health Taskforce.

As this Parliamentary Question also relates to service delivery which is an operational matter for the HSE, it has been referred directly to the HSE for reply.