Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron

Dr Ron Daniels is joined by journalist and campaigner Kath Sansom, founder of Sling The Mesh, to discuss the complications linked to surgical mesh and why fully informed consent is crucial for anyone considering surgery.

Drawing on her own experience and a decade of advocacy, Kath shares how inadequate information and follow-up have left thousands facing life-changing pain and recurrent infections – some of which can progress to sepsis. 

Together, the pair explores how to improve patient safety, strengthen regulation, and ensure every voice is heard.

In this episode they cover:

What surgical mes...

Duration: 00:35:50

September is Sepsis Awareness Month, and the UKST team has been busy: from a Westminster meeting with ambassador Harry Redknapp and “bionic” Lord Craig Mackinlay, to nationwide #SepsisSavvy awareness events. But now, the spotlight turns to a project that's been years in the making...  

For World Sepsis Day 2025, UK Sepsis Trust’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer Dr Ron Daniels hosts a special edition of Sepsis Voices to unveil the charity’s brand-new Sepsis Assessment Tool: a free online checker that helps you determine the best course of action if you or a loved one has an infection. 

Joini...

Duration: 00:22:47

In episode 21 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer is joined by Dr Julie Dockerty, emergency medicine consultant and Principal Medical Advisor at the Department of Health in Western Australia, to explore how one of the world’s most remote and vast regions is tackling sepsis through systemic change.

Drawing on parallels with the UK’s own journey, Ron and Julie discuss the unique challenges of improving sepsis outcomes across Western Australia’s diverse geography and population – from urban centres to remote Aboriginal communities.

Julie shares her experience leading a unified ap...

Duration: 00:35:19

In episode 20 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer is joined by Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield and a leading parliamentary voice on sepsis.

Lee speaks candidly about how the condition has affected his own family – with his wife surviving sepsis twice – as well as constituents, and his friend and former colleague Lord Mackinlay, who lost all four limbs after contracting sepsis.

These experiences have fuelled Lee’s passionate calls for a Government-backed public awareness campaign and his support for the relaunched All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Sepsis, now one of the l...

Duration: 00:18:56

In episode 19 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer is joined by Evan Francis, a disability campaigner and survivor of urosepsis, to mark Catheter Awareness Week in June.

Evan lives with Fowler’s Syndrome – a rare condition affecting the bladder that led to her long-term catheterisation and a life-threatening sepsis episode. In this frank and informative conversation, she shares the realities of navigating daily life with a suprapubic catheter, the challenge of being heard by healthcare professionals, and why self-advocacy is vital in managing long-term conditions like hers.

This episode builds...

Duration: 00:40:59

In this episode of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, we shine a light on the links between dental infections and sepsis – just in time for World Oral Health Day on 20th March.

Host Dr Ron Daniels, Founder & Chief Medical Officer of UK Sepsis Trust speaks to Scottish sepsis survivor and university student, Nick Whelan, about his harrowing ordeal. 

Listen to learn: 

How a routine tooth infection led Nick to develop life-threatening sepsis The early warning signs Nick missed – and how he eventually realised something was seriously wrong Why young, healthy people shouldn’t assume they’re...

Duration: 00:35:21

Released for World Cancer Day (4th February), episode 17 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron highlights a critical crossover that cancer patients to be aware of between infection, neutropenia, and sepsis. 

Dr Ron Daniels, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer, is joined by Blood Cancer UK’s Health Information Manager, Rachel Yarham, to discuss:

Why cancer patients often face a higher risk of infection and therefore sepsis How neutropenia affects the immune system and how it relates to blood cancer  The key signs of infection that could progress to sepsis if left untreated The fantastic free resources that B...

Duration: 00:24:47

In episode 16 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer speaks with two inspiring guests for Men’s Health Month. Rob Forkan shares his extraordinary journey of resilience after surviving the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and later battling sepsis. He offers powerful insights into finding purpose and strength through unimaginable challenges.

Devoted father Louis Rickman recounts his wife Louise’s recent battle with sepsis following the birth of their first child, Rex, as well as the devastating loss of his brother to sepsis in 1999.

Together, Rob and Louis explore the profound physical and em...

Duration: 00:44:17

In episode 15 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer is joined by Caroline Hughes, Support Services Manager at the Meningitis Research Foundation, to discuss the links between sepsis and meningitis.

Released following World Meningitis Day on 5th October, this episode sheds light on the interconnectedness of these life-threatening conditions – including the impact on survivors and their families – along with the urgent need for awareness, and how timely intervention can save lives. 

Caroline shares the vital work her organisation does to support individuals affected by meningitis and the global efforts to defeat...

Duration: 00:32:16

In episode 14 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Chief Medical Officer Ron Daniels is joined by former Member of Parliament Craig Mackinlay, for an episode released during Sepsis Awareness Month.

Craig’s story is one of immense resilience. After surviving sepsis, he underwent quadruple amputation and has since turned his experience into advocacy for better sepsis care. Recently appointed to the House of Lords, Craig is now using his platform to push for crucial changes in healthcare that could save lives and improve outcomes for sepsis survivors.

The episode covers:

Craig’s pers...

Duration: 00:43:27

In episode thirteen of Sepsis Voices, UKST’s Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels is joined by Jane Plumb MBE, Founder and CEO of Group B Strep Support, for an episode released during Group B Strep Awareness Month.

Group B Streptococcus is the leading cause of severe infection including meningitis in newborns, and Jane knows this all too well, having tragically lost her son, Theo, to it. Since Theo’s death, Jane has been at the forefront of advocacy and education efforts to combat this usually preventable infection.

Like any infection, left untreated Group B stre...

Duration: 00:28:46

In the twelfth episode of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, Dr Ron Daniels is joined by Deborah Duval, managing editor of Kidney Care UK’s quarterly magazine, Kidney Matters, and head of the charity’s Kidney Kitchen.

As a Type 1 diabetic living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and two-time sepsis survivor, Deborah is uniquely placed to speak to the interrelationship of the conditions, and what our organisations are doing to work together to improve sepsis outcomes for at-risk patient groups.

In this is episode, released in time for Diabetes Awareness Week (10th-16th June), the pair...

Duration: 00:36:01

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19th May), episode 11 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron delves into the often-unseen mental health impact of sepsis with two remarkable guests, Taz Hoesli and Naj Devgun.

Tune in to this empowering episode for an enlightening discussion on mental health, resilience, and the journey to healing.

The guests:

Recount their sepsis stories Share the profound mental toll of prolonged hospital stays, including the onset of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Talk about how not being able to move their bodies in the same way post-sepsis affected their mental...

Duration: 00:41:15

In the tenth episode of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels welcomes Rob Behrens, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, and Chair of the organisation, to share his thoughts on the evolving landscape of sepsis care.

As Rob approaches the end of his tenure, they reflect on the changes since the Ombudsman's groundbreaking sepsis report, 'A Time to Act,' in 2013.

They discuss improvements in sepsis detection, management, and patient outcomes over the past decade, as well as key takeaways from the Ombudsman's latest report, 'Spotlight on sepsis: your st...

Duration: 00:48:09

In episode nine of 'Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron', UKST’s Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels sits down with Dr Siwan Seaman, a Consultant at the in-patient unit at the Marie Curie hospice in Cardiff and the Vale, and recently appointed Medical Director at the hospice.

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end of life charity. While they deal with patients with a range of life-limiting conditions, this episode focuses on cancer and sepsis, given that it was World Cancer Day on 4th February and King Charles III has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Th...

Duration: 00:29:53

In 2024’s first episode of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, Dr Ron Daniels is joined by Lindsay Duncan, who is World Animal Protection UK’s Farming Campaigns Manager.

Released in time for Veganuary, and following the recent publication of World Animal Protection’s report ‘Is factory farming killing us?’, the pair discuss the very real global threat of antimicrobial resistance and how consumer dietary habits will be vital in combatting the problem.

Do you have to go vegan to make a difference, or could giving greater consideration to the type and quality of meat we eat be a s...

Duration: 00:27:58

In episode seven of Sepsis Voices with Dr. Ron, Melissa Mead shares her heart-wrenching story after losing her beloved son William to sepsis in 2014. Published on the anniversary of William’s death, a recently published report from the National Child Mortality Database found that clinical signs of sepsis were present in 701 child deaths between April 2019 and March 2022, out of a total of 1507 deaths; with 15% of those deaths related to infection.

Melissa illustrates how the sepsis landscape has changed over the nine years since her family’s tragic loss, and shares what she thinks still needs to be done...

Duration: 00:41:14

In episode 6 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels is joined by Cóilín Nunan, who is the Policy and Science Manager of the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, an alliance of 71 member organisations co-founded by Compassion in World Farming, the Soil Association and Sustain to campaign against the overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming.

Following the publication of Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics’ new report, a comprehensive assessment of the antibiotic policies of the UK’s leading catering companies, the duo discuss how antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could cause up to 10...

Duration: 00:34:58

In episode 5 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST’s Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels is joined by Dr Tom Ashfield a Senior Medical Advisor at Pfizer, and a GP. Tom is an employee of Pfizer UK, his contributions reflect the work of Pfizer UK in AMR and his own experience as a doctor. Pfizer UK have undertaken content approval of this episode. 

The two doctors discuss the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the link to sepsis. They also explore the vital work of the Infection Management Coalition to put responsible antimicrobial stewardship on the agend...

Duration: 00:31:59

In episode 4 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST Founder and Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels is joined by renowned journalist and editor, Matthew D’Ancona.

Sepsis survivor Matthew is editor-at-large of The New European, as well as contributing editor to Prospect, and a columnist for The Evening Standard. He’s held previous editor roles with the Spectator, slow-news outlet, Tortoise, and is also the former deputy editor of The Sunday Telegraph.

The pair cover:

Matthew’s personal sepsis experience and why he chose to share it with Tortoise readers The ways charities like UKST ca...

Duration: 00:51:03

In episode 3 of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, to mark maternal sepsis month UKST Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels speaks to lecturer and mum Dr Poppy Gibson about her experience following the birth of her second child to raise awareness of the signs of sepsis among this at-risk group.

While anyone can get sepsis at any time, pregnant people and new mothers are particularly at risk of infection and therefore sepsis. As well as breaking down some of the stigmas around accessing support for your mental health as a new mum, the episode aims to empower...

Duration: 00:44:04

Are you ready to take your knowledge of sepsis recovery to the next level? Join Dr Ron Daniels and Oliver Jones, UKST's Lead Support Nurse, as they delve into the nitty-gritty of sepsis recovery and Post Sepsis Syndrome (PSS).

Oliver’s background as a critical care nurse makes him the perfect candidate to discuss what information and aftercare is needed for sepsis survivors. Together with Ron, he explores the impact of PSS on people's lives and the challenges of getting it recognised by health professionals, insurance providers, and employers.

The pair discuss ways in which he...

Duration: 00:33:36

Trigger warning: Death, Grief, Child Loss

In the first episode of Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron, UKST Founder and joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels speaks to BAFTA award-winning actor Jason Watkins (The Catch, Line of Duty) ahead of the release of a new documentary about the tragic loss of Jason’s daughter, Maude, to sepsis in 2011.

 

The pair cover:

Jason, Clara and Maude’s Sepsis Voices story The partnership required between parents and healthcare professionals to quickly identify and treat sepsis or other infections Jason’s approach to his recent role as a griev...

Duration: 00:29:56

Sepsis Voices with Dr Ron is a new podcast, coming soon, that is aimed at junior healthcare professionals, as well as health-conscious members of the public. It aims to educate and raise awareness about sepsis, as well as infection management more broadly.

The podcast is hosted by Dr Ron Daniels, who is an intensive care physician within the NHS, as well as the founder and joint CEO of The UK Sepsis Trust, and Vice President of the Global Sepsis Alliance.

Duration: 00:01:21