2 September 2025
Patients with life-threatening sepsis are being identified quicker at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital thanks to an innovative new digital tool.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) has made significant improvements in patient safety and outcomes following the introduction of its sepsis dashboard.
The system helps clinical teams to spot early warning signs, reduce deterioration, and improve patient safety, while also providing a comprehensive audit record.
Since implementation, the dashboard has led to a 20 to 30 per cent monthly reduction in patients at high risk of sepsis.
Previously, between 270–280 patients per month scored 7 or above on the NEWS2 scale. This figure has now decreased to 190–220 patients per month as patients are being identified earlier.
This reduction means that fewer patients are deteriorating, fewer hospital days are required, and overall patient outcomes are improving.
In addition, the Trust has recorded a notable improvement in its mortality rates.
George Mocanu, Sepsis Practitioner at RWT, said: “The sepsis dashboard forms part of the Trust’s wider commitment to harnessing digital innovation and continuous improvement in patient care.
“We also hold think sepsis study days for staff and we attend staff meeting to raise awareness.
“The team offers clinical support to all clinical areas within the Trust in regard to sepsis screening and management.
“In the future the team will be able to prescribe antibiotics and further help bridge the gap between diagnostic and treatment.”
Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection. It happens when the immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage the body’s own tissues and organs. It can be hard to spot and there are lots of possible symptoms. They can be similar to symptoms of other conditions, including flu or a chest infection.
The sepsis team will be at a stand in the Emergency Department entrance at New Cross Hospital on September 10 and in the Heart and Lung Centre on September 12.
George added: “On this day the team will be talking to both staff members and visitors. For staff members we will have a readily available VitalPac device so they can simulate doing a sepsis screening on a fictional patient to test their knowledge and understanding of risk stratifying when assessing sepsis.
“For visitors, we will have plenty of resources in the form of leaflets and cards. The team will also try to establish connections with survivors of sepsis and relatives of survivors so we can explore the possibility of creating educational and awareness videos based on their stories.”