Actor Jason Watkins said he took it “very personally” that a report revealed that sepsis care has not had to be drastically replaced in the 12 years since his daughter died from the condition.
The Crown star and his wife Clara’s two-year-old daughter, Maude, died in 2011 and he’s campaigning for adjustments to her physical care.
A report by the NHS Ombudsman, published in October, found that “the same serious ones are still occurring” a decade after an earlier document.
He added that it is “urgent” to act as errors have been reported, including: delays in the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis; poor communication between fitness staff; poor maintenance; and missed opportunities for follow-up care.
Speaking to Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain programme, Watkins, 61, said: “It was a real shock to think that just a few weeks ago the Ombudsman’s report on sepsis care said ‘nothing has changed’, so I took it very personally.
“I’ve had a tough few days because you feel lost. I felt a bit like a victim of sepsis and parents who lost loved ones.
“Because other people who have lost loved ones feel that way; You feel like fate has dealt you a terrible blow.
He also said: “I think the government wants to step up its efforts in terms of a national database and a national awareness campaign, as well as investment in individual trusts for sepsis.
“The Ombudsman’s report is there for a reason. And the report says their (sepsis prevention measures) haven’t worked, so that’s the government’s responsibility.
The government has promised that English hospitals will introduce the Rule of Smart, which gives patients the right to a momentary opinion if their considerations are ignored by NHS staff.
The rule is named after a coroner who found that Martha Mills, who died at the age of thirteen in 2021, likely would have survived if doctors had known the precautionary symptoms and transferred her to intensive care sooner.
Since then, his mother, Merope, has been campaigning for more to be returned to patients and their families.
Watkins also tried to teach other parents about this topic.
He said, “As a parent, you have to say, ‘Could it be sepsis?’
“When you take your child to the GP, when you think they have a lung infection, like I did with Maude, you want to tell them and they want to rule out the sepsis option first.
“The Rule of Martha is a wonderful way to remind other people of this: parents, doctors, and nurses. “
Reacting to the report – Spotlight on Sepsis: Your Stories, Your Rights – a spokesperson for NHS England said in October that the fitness service is “working to identify and manage sepsis” and “there have been modifications”.
They added: “However, we know that there is still work to be done and that patients and their families need to step up hospital care if they see deterioration or have concerns and, as professional guidance for doctors in England states, it is imperative for any patient’s wishes to be respected in this regard.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “The protection of all patients is of great importance and we have made significant innovations in patient protection, adding the publication of the NHS’s first patient protection strategy.
“The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is looking at how best to update advice on sepsis diagnosis and response, to ensure the best treatment is provided promptly and we are exploring how sepsis advice can be provided in employee training. .
“We are also working intensively with NHS England, the Patient Safety Commissioner, clinical experts and patient representatives to urgently review the implementation of ‘Martha’s Rule’ and the evidence of what works for patients and their families. who are looking for an immediate opinion.
NHS England has commented.
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