03/09/2026
Rebecca Hodge
Sepsis is a dangerous condition that affects an estimated 245,000 people in the UK every year and contributes to at least 48,000 deaths. What makes sepsis life-threatening is not that it is unusual, but that in its early hours it can seem like many other less severe conditions. Flu, a urinary infection, a standard chest infection, or a wound that seems to be healing.
September is Sepsis Awareness Month, and World Sepsis Day takes place globally and across the UK on 13 September 2026. The UK Sepsis Trust’s campaign aims to improve sepsis outcomes by educating healthcare professionals and empowering the public to “Just Ask: Could it be Sepsis?”
It seems simple enough, but that one question, asked early enough, can change the outcome.
Most people who develop sepsis receive the appropriate, fast treatment and recover. But some do not, and in a some of those cases, the delay was avoidable.
In this blog, our medical negligence team explains how sepsis is supposed to be recognised and treated, what changed after the death of Martha Mills, and when a delay crosses the line into medical negligence.
How Is Sepsis Missed?
Sepsis happens when the body’s response to an infection starts damaging its own tissues and organs, with the immune system going into overdrive. Sepsis always starts with an infection, which may initially seem minor, such as a chest infection or a UTI. However, what matters most is the body’s reaction and quickly it is treated. It is not known why some people develop sepsis in response to these common infections whereas others don’t.
There is no single sign or diagnostic test, and these symptoms are often attributed to lessor symptoms that are easy to explain away. Shivers, muscle pain, and tiredness can seem like the flu. Fast breathing and a racing heart can be attributed to anxiety. In children, the signs are often harder to spot, and a baby who is unusually sleepy or not feeding can be sent home from an assessment with reassurance it’s just a mild infection rather than a review. Sepsis is also indiscriminate, and while it typically affects very young children, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions, it can sometimes be triggered in those who are otherwise fit and healthy.
Two things make this worse. Sepsis moves quickly, sometimes over a few hours, and the person best placed to notice that something is badly wrong is often the family member sitting at the bedside, not the medical professional who has met the patient once.
How to Spot Sepsis
There is no single sign of sepsis and symptoms presently differ for adults and children. However, the UK Sepsis Trust provides a list of sepsis symptoms for adults and children. They also provide an easy-to-use digital sepsis assessment tool, which you can access here: Use the Assessment Tool.
The guidance from the UK Sepsis Trust highlights the following signs:
How to spot sepsis in adults
- Slurred speech or confusion
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain
- Passing no urine (in a day)
- Severe breathlessness
- It feels like you’re going to die
- Skin mottled or discoloured
Sepsis in children
A child may have sepsis if they:
- Are breathing very fast
- Have a ‘fit’ or convulsion
- Look mottled, bluish, or pale — on brown and black skin, colour changes may show on the inside of the forearms or palms
- Have a rash that does not fade when you press it
- Are very lethargic or difficult to wake
- Feel abnormally cold to touch
CHILDREN UNDER 5
A child under 5 may have sepsis if they:
- Are not feeding
- Are vomiting repeatedly
- Have not passed urine for 12 hours
Call 999 or visit A&E if you, another adult, or a child has one of the sepsis symptoms, and Just Ask: Could it be Sepsis?
Find the guidance here: sepsistrust.org/about-sepsis/spotting-the-signs-of-sepsis/
Martha’s Rule and Where It Leaves Patients
Martha Mills died in 2021 after developing sepsis in hospital, where she had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike. Martha’s family raised concerns about her deteriorating condition. However, they were not responded to, and in 2023 a coroner ruled that Martha, aged 13, would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.
Martha’s Rule, ‘detecting deterioration’, was the response, and many NHS trusts have introduced these principles. It is designed to help spot any unexpected signs of deterioration early and give you the right to request a rapid review if you are worried that you or your loved one’s condition is getting worse. It is recognised that you are more likely to spot small changes before they show up in a routine measurement and that these changes could be early warning signs of deterioration.
If you are in hospital now and worried, you can ask staff whether Martha’s Rule is available or check the trust’s website. Using it is not making a fuss. Most calls since the system was introduced have come from patients and families rather than staff, which is exactly what it was built for.
Martha’s Rule has been rolled out to several acute hospitals across the North West, including Royal Bolton Hospital, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Royal Oldham Hospital. Find the list of sites available here: Martha’s Rule Rolled Out to Acute Hospitals in the North West.
Support for Patients and Families
- The UK Sepsis Trust runs a support line for survivors and bereaved families and publishes guidance on post-sepsis syndrome. sepsistrust.org
- Sepsis Research FEAT funds research and provides information on symptoms and recovery. sepsisresearch.org.uk
- NHS Resolution publishes information on how NHS claims are handled and what the process involves. resolution.nhs.uk
If Delayed Sepsis Diagnosis Is Down to Medical Negligence
If you or someone in your family developed sepsis and you have been left with the sense that the warning signs were there and nothing happened, or your concerns were not listened to, that instinct is worth taking seriously.
Our medical negligence team handles claims involving delayed sepsis diagnosis and delayed treatment, including cases resulting in amputation, serious injury and supporting families in fatal sepsis claims. We can review what happened, obtain the medical records, advise on whether an inquest is likely, and tell you honestly whether there is a case to pursue.
We work with clients across Bolton, Horwich, Farnworth, Bury, Atherton, Middleton, Chester, and the wider Greater Manchester area. Speak to one of our personal injury solicitors today by calling 0800 103 2600 or by completing our online contact form.
Please note that this article is meant as general guidance and not intended as legal or professional advice. Updates to the law may have changed since this article was published.