A HAMPSHIRE politician has backed a campaign to raise awareness of a life-threatening and little-known illness which kills thousands of people every year.

Caroline Nokes MP for Romsey and Southampton North attended a Parliamentary event to raise awareness of Sepsis.

The event hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Sepsis and the UK Sepsis Trust was attended by more than 40 MPs and peers, along with a number of patients and their families who have been personally affected by sepsis.

It comes after 48-year old Southampton builder John Middleditch, known as Uncle John on the Thornhill estate where he lived, died last month from sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can affect anyone and claims the lives of 44,000 people – including 1,000 children – every year in the UK.

It arises when the body’s response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs and can lead to shock, multiple organ failure, and death, when it is not recognised early and treated promptly.

In a bid to reduce deaths like these, the UK Sepsis Trust and the Sepsis APPG are calling for both the public and healthcare professionals to be more aware of this ‘silent killer’.

They are calling for the Department of Health to commit to a public awareness campaign, aimed at both adults and children solely on sepsis.

Caroline said: “While sepsis is a condition which may not hit the headlines, it is deadly.

“I hope the NHS will look closely at the proposals put forward by the UK Sepsis Trust, which, if implemented, have the potential to save up to 12,500 lives a year.”

“I want to see sepsis viewed as a medical emergency and have a higher profile among medical professionals and the public.”

The UK Sepsis Trust, founded in 2010, brings together leading experts, grass roots health professionals, survivors and persons bereaved; to raise public and professional awareness of sepsis, and provide support for those affected by this terrible condition.

Dr Ron Daniels, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: “An awareness campaign is something we’ve been calling for a long time. It is an absolute necessity that this campaign is dedicated on sepsis and aimed at a both adults and children.

“A campaign of course is only a part of what is needed.

"We need to make sure that healthcare professional education is robust and is mandated.

"We need to have a better measure of outcomes and we have to have some resources available that reward excellent care.”