The UK Sepsis Trust has launched a digital sepsis assessment tool for public use, developed by the digital health provider HealthHero in close collaboration with the charity1. The tool became available on Friday 12 September 2025, ahead of World Sepsis Day on Saturday 13 September, and is accessible via the UK Sepsis Trust website1.
The charity describes the tool as the first of its kind to be digitised and placed directly in the hands of the public1. It guides users step by step through a series of questions, requires no clinical knowledge, and asks for basic details such as name or age before asking about symptoms1. Users must be 16 years of age or older, but the charity says the tool can be applied to people of any age, so adults can use it if concerned about a child, and that it is appropriate to use in relation to pregnant people1. The charity says the tool recognises that symptoms such as rashes can appear differently on different skin tones, citing a meningitis rash that might be red on lighter skin but brown or purple on darker skin, and tailors its guidance accordingly1.
Based on the user's answers, the tool gives tailored advice at three levels1:
| Assessed risk | Advice given by the tool |
|---|---|
| High | Seek urgent medical attention immediately |
| Moderate | Speak to a doctor or call 111, with a summary of what to say, including key symptoms such as breathing problems or dehydration |
| Low | Explains what to watch for and when to reassess |
The charity states that sepsis affects 245,000 people in the UK annually and claims 48,000 lives, and that five people lose their lives to sepsis every hour in the UK1. It describes sepsis as a life-threatening condition arising when the body's response to infection harms its own tissues and organs, always starting with an infection such as pneumonia, chest infections or UTIs, though it is unknown why some people develop sepsis in response to these common infections when others do not1.
Dr Ron Daniels BEM, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the UK Sepsis Trust, said:
"For the first time globally, we are empowering members of the public with health professional-developed questions in an accessible format, based upon agreed guidance from multiple agencies including the medical Royal Colleges and the former Public Health England."
HealthHero describes itself as a digital health provider in Europe whose services cover 30 million lives and a network of over 4,000 clinicians1. Dr Amina Hersi, Doctor and Clinical Editor at HealthHero, said she lost her mother to sepsis in 2023 after an assessment was completed incorrectly, and that the tool "gives people the power to act early"1.
Why it matters for households
Sepsis can arise in people of any age, whether or not they have underlying illness, and the charity says it presents very differently in each patient and can be challenging to identify, with early diagnosis and swift action essential to improving outcomes1. The tool is intended for use by adults concerned about themselves or about others, including children and pregnant people, and returns advice matched to the level of risk it identifies, from seeking urgent medical attention to watching for changes and reassessing1. The charity's announcement does not state how the tool handles calls to 999 or 111, nor whether it records or shares the details users enter; these points have not been reported1. The charity operates a nurse-led helpline on 0808 800 00291. Households keeping health information to hand may wish to note the health emergencies hub for wider guidance on urgent health situations.
What happens next
The tool is available now via the UK Sepsis Trust website, following its release on 12 September 2025 and World Sepsis Day on 13 September 20251. No further dates for the tool have been announced1.
