Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron – Details, episodes & analysis

In episode 16 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer speaks with two inspiring guests for Men’s Health Month. Rob Forkan shares his extraordinary journey of resilience after surviving the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and later battling sepsis. He offers powerful insights into finding purpose and strength through unimaginable challenges.

Devoted father Louis Rickman recounts his wife Louise’s recent battle with sepsis following the birth of their first child, Rex, as well as the devastating loss of his brother to sepsis in 1999. Together, Rob and Louis explore the profound physical and emotional toll of sepsis and the critical importance of community and mental health support in recovery. 

This episode covers: 

• Rob’s incredible story of mental resilience after surviving the Boxing Day tsunami and sepsis 
• The lasting impact of Louise’s sepsis experience on Louis’ family unit 
• The mental health challenges faced by men and carers in the aftermath of trauma
• The importance of timely recognition of sepsis symptoms, and men accessing healthcare  
• Practical advice for finding resilience, building support networks, and promoting recovery

Tune in to this special episode, released in honour of Men’s Mental Health Month during November 2024, to hear two extraordinary men reflect on their experiences with honesty and hope. 

Of course, if you’re struggling with your mental health at any time, you can also access free nurse-led sepsis support services via our website: https://sepsistrust.org/get-support 

You can also learn more about sepsis and UKST’s mission at sepsistrust.org 

Find out about Rob’s work with Gandys at gandys.com and Preveo at thinkpreveo.com 

In episode 15 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer is joined by Caroline Hughes, Support Services Manager at the Meningitis Research Foundation, to discuss the links between sepsis and meningitis.

Released following World Meningitis Day on 5th October, this episode sheds light on the interconnectedness of these life-threatening conditions – including the impact on survivors and their families – along with the urgent need for awareness, and how timely intervention can save lives. 

Caroline shares the vital work her organisation does to support individuals affected by meningitis and the global efforts to defeat it, including their involvement in the World Health Organisation’s initiative to defeat bacterial meningitis by 2030.

The episode covers:

• Caroline’s insights into the global burden of meningitis 
• The relationship between sepsis and meningitis 
• The importance of public messaging to raise awareness of the conditions 
• The long term impact of these conditions on patients and their loved ones 
• World Meningitis Day 2024 and how its initiatives are driving awareness globally
• Socioeconomic disparities in sepsis and meningitis outcomes, and the need for improved access to resources 
• How charities like ours are collaborating to promote clear and accessible messaging

Tune in for a comprehensive discussion on the importance of early recognition and the life-saving impact of collaboration in the fight against meningitis and sepsis.

You can learn more about sepsis and the UK Sepsis Trust’s mission at sepsistrust.org, and discover resources on meningitis at meningitis.org. 

Other resources mentioned in the episode: 

Read Lauren’s story: https://sepsistrust.org/sepsisvoices/lauren/ 

Listen to Tilly and Lucy’s story: https://sepsisvoices.podbean.com/e/beyond-the-numbers-illuminating-the-reality-of-paediatric-sepsis/ 

In episode 6 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels is joined by Cóilín Nunan, who is the Policy and Science Manager of the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, an alliance of 71 member organisations co-founded by Compassion in World Farming, the Soil Association and Sustain to campaign against the overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming.

Following the publication of Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics’ new report, a comprehensive assessment of the antibiotic policies of the UK’s leading catering companies, the duo discuss how antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could cause up to 10 million deaths a year by 2050 if we don’t act now.

The pair cover:

• Antibiotic use in the farming industry – how the UK is falling behind the EU
• Evidence showing that antibiotic consumption impacts human bugs, causing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – and the scale of this threat
• Catering companies – who uses their services in the UK and why it matters if antibiotics are used in supply chains
• What retailers and governments are and aren’t doing to ensure food chains are antibiotic free
• How the press and celebrity ambassadors can help shine a spotlight on AMR
• What the individual shopper can do to protect themselves against AMR – especially if they are from a lower income household looking to sustain good nutrition

Read the catering report in full: https://www.saveourantibiotics.org/our-campaign/catering-companies-and-antibiotics/

Find out more about the UKST’s stance on antimicrobial use: https://sepsistrust.org/

Find out more about the work of the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics at www.saveourantibiotics.org  

In episode 5 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels is joined by Dr Tom Ashfield a Senior Medical Advisor at Pfizer, and a GP. Tom is an employee of Pfizer UK, his contributions reflect the work of Pfizer UK in AMR and his own experience as a doctor. Pfizer UK have undertaken content approval of this episode. 

The two doctors discuss the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the link to sepsis. They also explore the vital work of the Infection Management Coalition to put responsible antimicrobial stewardship on the agenda of global health leaders, as well as making the issue easy to understand so that patients are empowered to safeguard their own future.  

The pair cover:  

• What AMR is and how sepsis is regarded by the World Health Organization as the final common pathway to death from most untreatable infections  
• Public knowledge of AMR and what can be done to improve awareness  
• How UKST’s work has influenced Tom’s practice as a GP  
• Changes to community care following Covid-19 pandemic and impact on patients  
• Improving the way diagnostics are integrated into clinical settings 
• Tom’s experience in the pharmaceutical industry and the need for collaboration through initiatives like the Infection Management Coalition  

Find out more about the Infection Management Coalition: https://theimc.org/  

Find out more about sepsis, and the work of the UKST: https://sepsistrust.org/  

Final approval undertaken by Pfizer UK. Date of prep. August 2023; PP-UNP-GBR-6068 

In episode 4 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST Founder and Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels is joined by renowned journalist and editor, Matthew D’Ancona.

Sepsis survivor Matthew is editor-at-large of The New European, as well as contributing editor to Prospect, and a columnist for The Evening Standard. He’s held previous editor roles with the Spectator, slow-news outlet, Tortoise, and is also the former deputy editor of The Sunday Telegraph.

The pair cover:

• Matthew’s personal sepsis experience and why he chose to share it with Tortoise readers
• The ways charities like UKST can ensure their causes get media coverage – and how that’s changed in a post-Covid landscape
• The representation of sepsis in other media such as popular soaps, like Coronation Street
• Delicately walking the line between empowering and scaremongering – so A&E isn’t overwhelmed by the ‘worried well’
• The threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and how to ensure the public understands this
• Opportunities to get sepsis higher up on the agenda of a new government

Read Matthew’s sepsis experience here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/2019/08/13/delirium-tremendous/

Find out more about sepsis: https://sepsistrust.org/about/about-sepsis/

Get sepsis support: https://sepsistrust.org/get-support/

In episode 3 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, to mark maternal sepsis month UKST Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels speaks to lecturer and mum Dr Poppy Gibson about her experience following the birth of her second child to raise awareness of the signs of sepsis among this at-risk group.

While anyone can get sepsis at any time, pregnant people and new mothers are particularly at risk of infection and therefore sepsis. As well as breaking down some of the stigmas around accessing support for your mental health as a new mum, the episode aims to empower parents – particularly first-time parents – to be prepared to ‘Just ask: Could it be sepsis?’ if something doesn’t feel right.

The pair cover:

• What maternal sepsis is, common causes and incidence
• Some of the commonly reported symptoms of maternal sepsis
• Poppy’s experience after giving birth to her second son
• Attachment with a new-born following sepsis
• How difficult it is to recover from sepsis - especially when you have a baby that needs you
• Support that UKST provides to sepsis survivors

Find out more about maternal sepsis: https://sepsistrust.org/get-support/maternal-sepsis/

Read Poppy’s Sepsis Voices story: https://sepsistrust.org/about/about-sepsis/patient-stories/poppys-story/

Access support: https://sepsistrust.org/get-support/ 

Are you ready to take your knowledge of sepsis recovery to the next level? Join Dr Ron Daniels and Oliver Jones, UKST's Lead Support Nurse, as they delve into the nitty-gritty of sepsis recovery and Post Sepsis Syndrome (PSS).

Oliver’s background as a critical care nurse makes him the perfect candidate to discuss what information and aftercare is needed for sepsis survivors. Together with Ron, he explores the impact of PSS on people's lives and the challenges of getting it recognised by health professionals, insurance providers, and employers.

The pair discuss ways in which health professionals can help patients who may be experiencing problems after sepsis, and give an overview of the fantastic support services provided by the UK Sepsis Trust.

Find out more about Post Sepsis Syndrome: https://sepsistrust.org/get-support/support/support-for-survivors/post-sepsis-syndrome/

Get support: https://sepsistrust.org/get-support/

Guests: Dr Ron Daniels, Oliver Jones

Producer: Beth Kirkbride

Trigger warning: Death, Grief, Child Loss

In the first episode of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST Founder and joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels speaks to BAFTA award-winning actor Jason Watkins (The Catch, Line of Duty) ahead of the release of a new documentary about the tragic loss of Jason’s daughter, Maude, to sepsis in 2011.

The pair cover:

• Jason, Clara and Maude’s Sepsis Voices story
• The partnership required between parents and healthcare professionals to quickly identify and treat sepsis or other infections
• Jason’s approach to his recent role as a grieving father in Channel 5’s The Catch
• The role of charities like the UKST and Child Bereavement UK in helping navigate grief or trauma
• What viewers can expect from ‘Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie’, which will be broadcast on ITV1 on Thursday 30th March 2023 at 9pm

Guests: Dr Ron Daniels, Jason Watkins

Producer: Beth Kirkbride

More information:

https://sepsistrust.org/

https://www.childbereavementuk.org/

Got a question? Get in touch voices@sepsistrust.org

Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron is a new podcast, coming soon, that is aimed at junior healthcare professionals, as well as health-conscious members of the public. It aims to educate and raise awareness about sepsis, as well as infection management more broadly.

The podcast is hosted by Dr Ron Daniels, who is an intensive care physician within the NHS, as well as the founder and joint CEO of The UK Sepsis Trust, and Vice President of the Global Sepsis Alliance.

In episode 14 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer Ron Daniels is joined by former Member of Parliament Craig Mackinlay, for an episode released during Sepsis Awareness Month.

Craig’s story is one of immense resilience. After surviving sepsis, he underwent quadruple amputation and has since turned his experience into advocacy for better sepsis care. Recently appointed to the House of Lords, Craig is now using his platform to push for crucial changes in healthcare that could save lives and improve outcomes for sepsis survivors.

The episode covers:

• Craig’s personal experience with sepsis and the challenges of adapting to life with limb loss
• Post Sepsis Syndrome (PSS) and how it affects survivors, including physical, cognitive, and psychological aftereffects
• Craig’s decision to step down from his role as MP and his journey back to work after surviving sepsis
• How Craig’s new position in the House of Lords allows him to advocate for sepsis awareness and improved care – including better access to prostheses
• Socioeconomic disparities in sepsis outcomes and what needs to be done to address them
• UKST’s three key asks of the government during Sepsis Awareness Month: measuring sepsis care performance, integrating rapid diagnostics, and raising public awareness of sepsis symptoms and support services

Tune in for an inspiring conversation and insights that shed light on the realities of life after sepsis and the urgent need for change.

You can learn more about sepsis and UK Sepsis Trust’s ‘Step Up’ campaign by visiting sepsistrust.org