Sepsis failures in Wales left parents fearing it could happen again

Bethan James died in 2020 after sepsis was not recognised in time, and a BBC investigation found sepsis awareness training is not mandatory at most hospitals in Wales.

Bethan James died in 2020 aged 21 after sepsis, pneumonia and Crohn’s disease. Her parents say delays in recognising sepsis and in providing timely treatment contributed to her death. A coroner found she "would not have died" if care and treatment had not been delayed. A BBC investigation found sepsis awareness training is not mandatory across most Welsh hospitals, and her parents are campaigning for standalone, audited training. Known details: - Bethan had several hospital visits in the 10 days before she died and a final National Early Warning Score (NEWS) of eight, which indicates a high risk that should prompt urgent review. - A coroner concluded that delays in care and treatment contributed to her death. - A BBC freedom of information request found that where sepsis training exists in Welsh health boards it is often included within other modules rather than as a standalone course, and auditing of completion rates is inconsistent. - The Welsh Ambulance Service apologised for errors identified in Bethan’s case, said sepsis training is now mandatory, and stated that meaningful changes had been made; the Welsh government said sepsis will be a focus of NHS Wales improvement plans for 2026–27. - The UK Sepsis Trust and Bethan’s parents have called for mandatory standalone sepsis awareness training for clinical staff and for a system in Wales similar to Martha’s Rule to allow urgent second opinions in A&E. - NICE advises that ambulance services should give antibiotics when combined transfer and handover times exceed one hour; only Scotland and the Isle of Wight reported they follow that guidance in full. Summary: The family’s case has drawn attention to inconsistent sepsis training and auditing across Welsh health boards and to variation in pre-hospital antibiotic practice across UK ambulance services. Welsh health bodies and the Welsh Ambulance Service say sepsis recognition is a priority and that changes and rollouts are planned, including a stated focus within NHS Wales improvement plans for 2026–27.