22 November 2023 , 14:24
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Jason Watkins gave his heartbreaking response to the sepsis report after losing his daughter to infection.
The actor's daughter Maude passed away at the age of two in 2011 when she contracted sepsis. He said he has taken it "really personally" that a report found that sepsis care has not started to change drastically in the 12 years since his toddler daughter died of the condition.
Since The Crown star and his wife Clara’s daughter's death, he has been campaigning for changes to health care. An NHS ombudsman report, released in October, found that "the same serious failings are still happening" a decade on from a previous document.
It added that action is "urgently needed" as errors were outlined including: delays in diagnosing and treating sepsis, poor communication between healthcare staff, sub-standard record-keeping, and missed opportunities for follow-up care.
Jason's daughter passed away when she was two (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)On Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain, Watkins, 61, said: "It was a real body-blow to think that, just a few weeks ago, the ombudsman’s report on sepsis care said that 'nothing had really changed' so I took it really personally.
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"I had a couple of really difficult days because you feel lost. I felt a bit like a victim again – of sepsis, and for parents who have lost loved ones. Because people who have lost loved ones feel that; you feel that fate has dealt you a horrific blow."
He added: "I do feel that the Government needs to step up in terms of a national database and a national awareness campaign, as well as funding individual trusts for sepsis. The ombudsman report is there for a reason. And the report says its (measures to prevent sepsis) haven’t worked so it’s the Government’s responsibility."
The Government has committed to English hospitals introducing Martha's Rule, which gives patients the right to a second opinion if they believe their concerns are being dismissed by NHS staff. The rule was named after a coroner found that Martha Mills, who died aged 13 in 2021, would most likely have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs and transferred her to intensive care earlier.
Her mother, Merope, has campaigned for more power to be put back into the hands of patients and families. Jason also tried to raise awareness for other parents to think about the issue.
He said: "As a parent you must say, 'Could it be sepsis?' When you take your child to the GP, when you think they’ve got a chest infection, which is what I did with Maude, you must be able to say that and they have to rule sepsis out first. Martha’s Rule is a brilliant way of reminding people – parents, doctors and nurses."
In response to the report – Spotlight on sepsis: your stories, your rights – an NHS England spokesperson said last month that the health service is "working to improve the identification and management of sepsis" and "there have been improvements".
They added: "However, we know there is more work to be done and patients and families are able to escalate care for hospital patients if they see deterioration or have concerns and, as professional guidance for doctors in England sets out, it is essential that any patient’s wishes on this are respected."