In this special solo episode of the Care Social Podcast, Barry, Price,  our Content Operations and Delivery Manager at QCS, shares his personal and life-threatening brush with sepsis, just before World Sepsis Day.

Sepsis is a medical emergency that can affect anyone, at any age. It’s our body’s extreme reaction to infection and, without urgent treatment, it can lead to organ failure, lasting damage, or death. The faster it’s recognised, the better the chances of survival and recovery.

Barry takes us through his own story, from ignoring the early signs, to the moment he was rushed into urgent care and told he had sepsis. He describes the terrifying reality of treatment, recovery, and the lasting impact of post-sepsis syndrome. His experience is a stark reminder that you can’t “sleep off” sepsis.

The episode also covers:

• What sepsis is and how it develops
• The key warning signs to look out for
• Why people in social care are at greater risk
• The actions providers must take to protect those they support

What Providers Must Do

Sepsis awareness is critical in social care, where age, frailty, and delayed recognition increase risks. Barry highlights key steps every provider should take:

• Ensure all staff have Sepsis awareness training
• Promote the use of early warning systems like NEWS2
• Build better integration and partnerships with health services
• Promote vaccination programmes
• Ensure your infection prevention measures are working

At QCS, our Mock Inspection Toolkits and Digital Audits can help providers audit, evidence, and improve their infection prevention and compliance processes.

Barry ends with a powerful message: early recognition and fast treatment save lives.

Listen now and share this episode with colleagues, friends or family because the more people who understand sepsis, the more lives can be saved.

Further information 

World Sepsis Day