National Sepsis Conference 2026

29 JULY 2026

York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity helped support professional development and improved patient care by funding attendance at the National Sepsis Conference in Birmingham in April 2026.

Esther Taylor, Critical Care Outreach Nurse (CCOT), attended the conference to gain the latest expert led insight into sepsis, a condition that affects patients across all hospital wards and requires timely recognition and response.

The conference provided valuable updates on the 2025 NICE Sepsis Guidelines, enabling Esther to refresh her knowledge and bring back the latest standards to her team. This learning is shared through regular CCOT meetings, ensuring a consistent, informed approach across the service. Esther said:

“We are a closeknit team who support and disseminate amongst the team. It is a cliché but everyday really is a learning day, and it is part of our team culture to teach each other when we know that patient care and teamwork will be of benefit. We see the danger of sepsis and the difference that is made when staff are equipped with the right skills and processes to manage this patient group.”

A key area of focus was ‘Martha’s Rule,’ a national NHS patient safety initiative being implemented within the Trust. The conference gave Esther the opportunity to hear from peers across the country about their experiences of applying Martha’s Rule in practice, particularly in the context of sepsis care. This networking and shared learning is helping to inform local service development and identify opportunities for improvement.

Esther attended the conference independently but found it to be a valuable opportunity to connect with professionals in similar roles from across the NHS. Sharing her experiences and learning from others provided a boost in confidence and offered helpful insight into how critical care outreach services are delivered nationally.