Reading List

A curated Reading List to support safe first-contact escalation for possible sepsis in general practice reception and care-navigation roles.

The sources below are grouped around urgent-care routes, care navigation, and sepsis-specific guidance. Follow local protocols alongside national guidance.

1. Core Urgent Care and General Practice Sources

• NHS - When to call 999
  Core public guidance on life-threatening emergencies and when an ambulance is needed. Useful for recognising symptoms that require immediate emergency action.
  https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care-services/when-to-call-999/

• NHS England - How to improve care navigation in general practice
  Guidance on care-navigation processes, safe handover and the boundary between navigation and clinical decision-making.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/how-to-improve-care-navigation-in-general-practice-2/

• NHS England - You and Your General Practice
  Patient-facing information about general practice access and why staff ask for information to direct care appropriately.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/you-and-your-general-practice-english/

• NHS 24 Scotland - When to phone 111
  Scotland-specific guidance on NHS 24, urgent care and when to use 999. Useful where reception staff signpost to Scottish urgent-care routes.
  https://www.nhs24.scot/111/

• NHS 111 Wales - Health advice and information
  Wales urgent-care and health-advice route for non-emergency urgent concerns.
  https://111.wales.nhs.uk/

• HSCNI - Phone First FAQs
  Northern Ireland information on Phone First and urgent-care pathways. Useful for understanding local routing where Phone First is used.
  https://online.hscni.net/our-work/no-more-silos/phone-first-faqs/

2. Sepsis-Specific Sources

• NICE - Suspected sepsis in people aged 16 or over
  NICE guidance for recognition, assessment and early management of suspected sepsis in adults. Useful for adult warning words and escalation prompts.
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG253

• NICE - Suspected sepsis in under 16s
  NICE guidance for recognition and management of suspected sepsis in babies, children and young people. Useful for age-specific concerns and local paediatric prompts.
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG254

• NICE - Suspected sepsis in pregnant or recently pregnant people
  NICE guidance for suspected sepsis in pregnancy and recent pregnancy. Useful for maternity and postnatal escalation routes.
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG255

• NHS - Symptoms of sepsis
  Public NHS guidance on sepsis symptoms and urgent action. Useful for patient-facing warning words and emergency signposting.
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/

• NHS Inform Scotland - Sepsis
  Scottish public guidance on sepsis symptoms and urgent actions. Useful for patient-facing language and urgent-care signposting in Scotland.
  https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/blood-and-lymph/sepsis

Use these sources to inform local protocols, staff training, escalation scripts and reflection on first-contact safety in general practice.