A SEPSIS awareness conference was attended by more than 100 health care professionals as steps are made to do more about the life-threatening condition.

The conference was organised by the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) together with support from the UK SEPSIS Trust.

The conference aimed to raise further awareness and training for pre-hospital clinicians, nurses and medics.

Sepsis (blood poisoning) is the reaction to an infection in which the body attacks its own organs and tissues.

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition, however it can be easily treated if caught early.

In the UK, at least 100,000 people each year suffer from serious sepsis (or septicaemia) with 44,000 lives claimed by it.

Consultant paramedic James Wenman who organised the conference, said: “We brought together leading experts in the field to discuss the importance of what sepsis is, the education and training needed for health care staff, together with infection and prevention control as well as sepsis in paediatrics.”

There was also a preview of the acclaimed true story film Starfish, a survivors’ story and a parent’s personal account by sepsis campaigner Melissa Mead, the mother of baby William Mead who died in 2014.

Mrs Mead, from Cornwall, bravely shared her experiences of sepsis with the delegates to raise awareness and to empower parents to look out for and know the signs of this serious condition.

She said: “I was delighted and privileged to be able to share William’s story with so many health professionals. It is so important that health professionals and the public alike think of sepsis when they are poorly. It is always hard to reflect back upon William’s death, but in doing so allows me to be his mum; and I’m incredibly proud of the lives he’s saved with the campaign.”

Sepsis could occur as the result of any infection. There is no one sign for sepsis. It’s a serious condition that can initially look like flu, gastroenteritis or a chest infection. For further details on the symptoms visit the UK Sepsis Trust website at sepsistrust.org/news/what-is-sepsis/