About sepsis in Aotearoa

Sepsis arises when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It can lead to shock, multi-organ failure, and death – especially if not recognised early and treated promptly.

Māori and Pacific communities in Aotearoa experience sepsis at significantly higher rates than non-Māori and non-Pacific populations, amplifying health disparities in this country.

Since 2022, Te Tāhū Hauora and the Sepsis Trust NZ have been working collaboratively on a number of sepsis initiatives.

This included a sepsis management stocktake which identified  significant variation in the approach to sepsis care, leading to recommendations for improvement.

A sepsis working group was formed in 2023 to plan and scope this initiative with a focus on early identification, timely treatment and improved post-sepsis care.

Workstreams included:

• the development and design of the Sepsis Package with the required clinical tools and other resources
• stakeholder engagement, including specialty groups and the voice of sepsis survivors.

The Sepsis Technical Advisory Group (STAG) provided support and expertise on all clinical matters, and technical insight on resources created for the Sepsis Package.

Sepsis reports and resources

 Report: Stocktake of sepsis management in Aotearoa New Zealand

Completed by Synergia on behalf of the Health Quality & Safety Commission. Published in September 2022.

Report: Second annual report of the Maternal Morbidity Working Group

This report highlights sepsis, the MMWG’s area of focus in 2017, and summarises findings from the panel reviews and key themes that emerged.

Frailty care guides: Acute deterioration | Te tipuheke tārū (Frailty care guides 2023), Sepsis

Factsheet: Patient deterioration and sepsis

Journal article: Burden and distribution of mortality due to sepsis and severe infection in children and adolescents in Aotearoa/New Zealand. McDonald G, Hayman R, Hii J | Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | April 2024

World Sepsis Day: World Sepsis Day is on 13 September every year. Visit the World Sepsis Day website for information and resources.

Further information about sepsis in Aotearoa

For more information about the work Te Tāhū Hauora is doing in relation to sepsis, contact us at sepsis@hqsc.govt.nz

Additional information and resources about sepsis in Aotearoa, including clinical tools, fundraising and volunteering, can be found on the Sepsis Trust NZ website: sepsis.org.nz