FRIMLEY Park Hospital has been shining a spotlight on a potentially deadly infection – with vocal support from the Aldershot Military Wives Choir.

The hospital has been raising awareness of sepsis, more commonly known as blood poisoning, as doctors and nurses embrace new clinical guidelines.

The Military Wives Choir lent their voices to the campaign by taking part in a special music video, which also features Frimley Park staff.

Filmed on the hospital helipad and around the wards, it will be shown to staff during training events.

The accompanying song ‘Could It Be Sepsis?’ was composed by choir director Paul Tickner, a retired Frimley Park theatre nurse.

The video was launched as Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Frimley Park Hospital, marked World Sepsis Day on September 13.

It also unveiled new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on managing the condition.

Sepsis develops when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight an infection.

It can cause a loss of blood supply to the brain, heart and kidneys. If untreated, it can lead to multiple organ failure and even death.

Around 100,000 people in the UK are admitted to hospital with sepsis every year, and more than 30,000 die as a result of the condition.

Advanced nurse practitioner Suman Shrestha, who is helping to lead Frimley Park’s battle against sepsis, said: “It is a global healthcare problem that accounts for more deaths than any cancer. However, it is under-recognised by the public.

“Early symptoms of sepsis include a high temperature, shivering and breathing quickly, but these can also be associated with other conditions.

“We want to keep sepsis at the forefront of our thoughts so that it can be detected and diagnosed early, and managed appropriately to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients.”