At DHU Healthcare, we have a wealth of expertise amongst our colleagues, but few can speak as personally about sepsis as Carl Keeble, our Clinical Service Lead for Urgent and Emergency Care in LLR and the corporate resus officer.
With a long-standing passion for improving patient care, Carl ensures that our resus services are ahead of the curve to meet the increasingly complex needs of our patients. He represents Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) on the Sepsis and IPC (Infection Prevention and Control) groups, making him a key figure in how we treat and diagnose Sepsis.
Carl has a professional and personal interest. In his previous role as Assistant Medical Director at East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), where he also led efforts on sepsis, Carl found himself critically ill with the very condition he was working to combat.
He told us: "One of the most important things when talking about sepsis is that I can share my own experience. It really helps people understand just how serious and unpredictable it can be."
“It began on Halloween in 2004, and we had just adopted a stray cat, appropriately enough for the time, a black one-eyed cat named Salem. He came into the house and was being attacked by some of our other cats. When I pulled him away, he turned around and bit me on the hand.
“It seemed relatively innocuous but escalated quickly and the following day, I started experiencing flu-like symptoms and felt increasingly unwell. I went to work, but by mid-afternoon my professional side took over and I knew something was seriously wrong. I showed my hand, which was a little red, to a consultant friend in A&E, and she gave me some antibiotics. But that’s all I remember. The next four days are a complete blank."
Carl’s wife later filled in the gaps. After returning home, Carl’s condition deteriorated rapidly and developed into full-blown sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to the infection caused by the cat bite. "I had kidney failure, cardiac effects, and I was in intensive care. It took about 14 years to fully recover from all the side effects. A specialist team from Derby University managed to save my hand, I was very seriously ill," Carl recounts.
“I suppose it’s this experience that has helped to fuel my commitment to educating colleagues and the public about sepsis. We see many patients in our UTCs who are worried they might have it but it’s crucial to understand that sepsis is not just an infection; it’s a syndrome with multiple factors that can be hard to diagnose. Early signs can look like the flu, but if you experience confusion, hallucinations, a rash, or a temperature that won’t come down, you need to get help early. If treated early, we can prevent devastating effects."
Carl highlights the importance of continued learning and awareness in urgent care settings, adding, "There’s still a lot to learn about sepsis, but working in urgent care, we have the opportunity to better understand and manage this condition. The UK Sepsis Trust has excellent resources online, and I encourage everyone to make use of them."
Carl’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of sepsis awareness and early intervention. His experience underscores the unpredictable nature of the condition and the vital role that healthcare professionals play in identifying and treating it promptly. At DHU Healthcare, we are committed to continuing this essential work, ensuring that our colleagues are equipped with the knowledge and tools to provide the highest level of care.