The fatality rate among sepsis patients in Irish hospitals rose last year, with more than one in five people dying, despite around 320 fewer cases being recorded than in 2024.
A total of 11,939 cases of sepsis or septic shock were recorded in Irish acute hospitals in 2025 with more than 2,500 patients dying, according to a new HSE “Action on Sepsis” five year strategy.
The associated in-hospital mortality rate was 21.2 per cent, highlighting the continuing threat posed by the life-threatening condition with time of the essence for treatment.
The figures come as the HSE launched a new five-year national strategy on sepsis, aimed at reducing preventable deaths and improving the recognition, treatment and long-term care of patients affected by the condition.
It said that overall the number of recorded cases fell by 2.6 pc compared with 2024, the crude in-hospital mortality rate increased by 3.8 pc .
Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to an infection causes widespread inflammation and organ dysfunction. It can deteriorate rapidly into septic shock and death, with early recognition and treatment critical to survival.
The new strategy aims to strengthen Ireland’s response across hospitals, maternity services, paediatric care and community healthcare.
The strategy places prevention at the centre of the drive, with a particular focus on reducing infections before they develop into sepsis.
Vaccination, hand hygiene, wound care and the prevention of healthcare-associated infections will form part of the roll out ,it said.
The HSE said it will work with National Immunisation Office to explore how vaccination programmes can help reduce avoidable cases, particularly among groups considered more vulnerable to severe infection.
These include older people, young children, pregnant women and people who are immunocompromised.
The strategy said efforts to improve sepsis treatment must be balanced against the risk of unnecessary antibiotic use.
The objective is to ensure that patients who require antibiotics receive appropriate treatment promptly, while helping clinicians identify cases where sepsis is not present and antibiotics are not required.
Greater public awareness is another major element of the strategy.
The HSE plans to develop awareness campaigns aimed at helping people recognise the signs of serious infection and understand when urgent medical attention is needed.
Healthcare workers will also receive further training, with mandatory sepsis education for relevant clinical staff in adult, maternity and paediatric inpatient services required every three years.
Staff will be trained to recognise signs of organ dysfunction, including acute confusion, breathing difficulties and cardiovascular problems, while also considering factors such as age, frailty, recent surgery, trauma, chemotherapy and chronic illness.
The strategy aims to address an aspect of sepsis that can continue long after a patient leaves hospital — the impact on survivors.
It estimates that between 25pc to 50pc of sepsis survivors experience long-term consequences. These can include physical disability, reduced respiratory capacity, cognitive difficulties, psychological problems and symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress.
James Corcoran, Deputy Chairperson, Irish Sepsis Foundation welcomed the plan but stressed the need for the allocation of resources to ensure it is implemented.