Support sepsis awareness

Health professionals play a critical role in raising awareness of sepsis.

Using the word ‘sepsis’ in discussions with your colleagues, other healthcare staff and patients creates the necessary urgency to trigger life-saving treatment.

Always ask yourself: 'Could it be sepsis?' and escalate to a senior clinician if you have any doubt.

Listen to patient concerns about feeling 'worse than ever' and parent concerns about children being 'sicker than normal' or 'getting worse'.

Patients and families may ask: 'Could it be sepsis?' Listen to their concerns, look for signs of sepsis and use a sepsis pathway to escalate care, provide consumer resources, and keep everyone informed about next steps.

World Sepsis Day (WSD) is held annually on 13 September and is an initiative of the World Sepsis Day organisation.

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC), alongside the George Institute and Sepsis Australia provide numerous national resources for WSD, including social media tiles, slideshows, screensavers and videos.

Visit the ACSQHC website to access these Sepsis Awareness Resources, which include a September 2025, National Sepsis Program Extension Epidemiology Report.

An associated initiative introduced in 2024 is Sepsis Australia’s Sepsis Challenge. The goal is to increase public awareness of sepsis using a light-hearted challenge juxtaposed with messaging about the seriousness of sepsis and is designed to quickly grab the attention of established media and general public. 

You can read more about the challenge or join in at the Sepsis Australia website Sepsis Challenge How to Guide (PDF 188KB).  

Sepsis is a leading cause of harm in children worldwide, with infants and children aged under five years at greater risk.

In Australia, vital work is being done in healthcare and community settings to increase awareness and improve outcomes for children diagnosed with sepsis and their families.

Paediatric Sepsis Awareness Week (PSAW) is an international initiative that aims to raise awareness of sepsis in children during April each year.

A national forum for paediatric sepsis, hosted by Queensland Health, is presented annually and provides useful presentations for both health professionals and consumers.

To learn more watch the video: Best Sepsis Care for Our Kids- A National Forum for Paediatric Sepsis Week 2025.

The National Sepsis Program led by the ACSQHC aims to improve the awareness, recognition and support for people at risk of or diagnosed with sepsis in Australia.

A key component is the National Sepsis Clinical Care Standard which outlines best practice for timely recognition, treatment and coordinated care for sepsis and forms the foundation for sepsis care across SA Health services.

Areas of focus for the program include sepsis education, data collection, support for survivors, and initiatives to improve early sepsis identification and response for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.