Overview

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has identified challenges in the real-time recording of observations for sepsis patients within its electronic patient record (EPR) system. Sepsis is a critical medical condition that can result in organ failure and death if not addressed promptly.

Key Findings

• In a board paper dated 31 March 2025, trust officials noted that sepsis screening has been problematic since the EPR’s implementation.
• Clinical and digital teams are collaborating to develop solutions, focusing on training and documentation improvements.
• The trust implemented Altera Digital Health’s Sunrise EPR across its three hospital sites in 2023, with emergency departments adopting it in November 2024.
• The board acknowledged that while sepsis screening issues are longstanding, mortality rates remain within normal limits, indicating that the challenges are related to data management rather than clinical care.

Trust’s Response

A spokesperson for the trust stated:

“We are confident in our ability to provide quality care for sepsis patients, but we have recognized issues in how real-time observations are recorded in our EPR. Variations in what constitutes ‘normal’ baseline observations for these patients are among the factors contributing to these challenges.”

They also mentioned the establishment of a task and finish group to address identified issues, including processes, equipment needs, and training.

Support from Altera Digital Health

Rachael Fox, Executive Vice President at Altera, commented:

“Implementing new digital workflows can reveal inconsistencies from pre-digital reporting, as seen with sepsis screening. The EPR’s capability to highlight and address these issues is crucial for enhancing patient care. We fully support the trust’s initiative to form a task and finish group to explore these improvements.”

Sepsis Statistics

According to the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (2015), sepsis is a leading cause of avoidable death, surpassing fatalities from breast, bowel, and prostate cancer combined. The World Health Organization estimates that sepsis accounts for approximately 189 deaths per 100,000 hospitalized patients. Data from the Office for National Statistics indicates that deaths in England and Wales attributed to sepsis rose from 2,630 in 2018 to 4,276 in 2023, marking a 63% increase.

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