The NHS has set out an ambition to prevent thousands of deaths from sepsis by 2035, unveiling a new framework that includes plans to trial wearable devices for people at higher risk of the condition.
Published on 14 July 2026, the blueprint says the technology could be used on mobile phones or worn as watches or bracelets, allowing clinicians to monitor vital signs at home and respond more quickly if a patient’s condition worsens. The devices would track measures such as blood pressure and heart rate and automatically flag deterioration so patients can be tested for sepsis sooner.
Why the new approach matters
Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection that can cause serious damage to tissues and organs. NHS England says it is estimated to cause around 4,000 deaths a year in England, while more than 118,000 emergency admissions were recorded in 2024/25. The organisation also says survival chances improve sharply when sepsis is detected early, with the risk of death rising by up to 8% for every hour treatment is delayed.
The framework says people on immunosuppressive treatments, including some cancer patients, older people, and those with a catheter or serious mental illness, are at higher risk. NHS England says some hospitals are already using wearable technology for inpatients at risk of sepsis, including cancer patients receiving CAR T cell therapy at University College London Hospitals.
Technology already being tested in hospitals
In that trial, patients wear a device on the chest that measures heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature, which are recognised risk factors for sepsis and cytokine release syndrome. When the device detects worrying changes, NHS clinicians are alerted and can carry out a rapid review, with the aim of giving life-saving antibiotics quickly if needed.
Professor Ramani Moonesinghe, NHS England’s Deputy Medical Director, said the service needed an ambitious plan to reduce sepsis harm over the next decade and that early detection remained central to saving lives. The NHS says the new framework is part of a wider push to improve patient outcomes for major conditions and to develop technologies that help clinicians detect and treat sepsis faster and more accurately.
What patients and families should watch for
The framework also points people to the warning signs of sepsis, including difficulty breathing, a dramatic change in temperature, or not peeing for a time. NHS England says anyone with symptoms should call 999 immediately.
The move comes alongside a broader patient safety strategy, as the health service seeks to improve how care is delivered, strengthen response times, and use innovation to support clinicians. For families affected by sepsis, the promise of earlier detection may offer hope that more patients can be treated before the condition becomes life-threatening.
More information is available from NHS England and the NHS sepsis guidance. NHS England announcement and Sepsis modern service framework.
