Sepsis survivor Andrew Roberts, from Rhos-on-Sea, hopes his experience can be used to encourage NHS Wales to raise awareness of sepsis and ensure life saving treatment is given as early as possible.

Mr Roberts contracted sepsis in January 2012 and was treated initially in North Wales

“Sepsis wreaked absolute havoc with me,” says Mr Roberts. “It caused my organs to fail. It put me in absolute danger of dying.”
“I was admitted to intensive care and they were running with my trolley to get me there from the casualty department.”

After Mr Roberts’ condition deteriorated he was moved by high speed ambulance to Glenfield Hospital in Leicester to receive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment so that his blood was oxygenated outside his body.

“I had large cannulas inserted into my neck and a machine replenished the oxygen in my blood. I was unconscious for six days. When I woke up I couldn’t speak or stand.”

Andrew has made a remarkable recovery, including completing a half marathon in May.

He has been working with the Welsh Ambulance Service to introduce a screening tool to identify sepsis when they respond to 999 calls. This will help paramedics to prioritise seriously ill patients and notify hospital staff about patients most at risk.
“I’m supporting World Sepsis Day to help raise awareness among NHS staff,” says Andrew. “It needs to be paramount in people’s minds that when they see a really ill person that person could have sepsis.

“I hope that my experience can be used to make improvements in NHS Wales so that no one else has to go through a similar experience.”

[ Ссылка ]

свернуть