CMO Message – 10 September 2025
Five facts for action on World Sepsis Day 2025
To mark the occasion, the Commission has released a landmark Sepsis Epidemiology Report. The report analyses sepsis-related hospitalisations in Australian public hospitals across the past decade and provides the clearest national picture of sepsis to date.
The facts are a call to action:
- In 2022-23, more than 84,000 Australians were hospitalised with sepsis – significantly greater than previous estimates of 55,000 cases per year
- One in seven sepsis cases resulted in death
- Over 50% of sepsis readmissions occurred in the first 30 days after discharge
- First Nations people are hospitalised for sepsis at double the rate of non-indigenous Australians
- People with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease or cancer face a much greater risk.
There is also encouraging news. The proportion of sepsis-related deaths occurring in emergency departments has declined, suggesting that sepsis pathways and awareness initiatives are starting to have an impact.
But we must do more. Early recognition, timely treatment, and well-coordinated follow-up care are vital to saving lives and reducing long-term impacts.
Ahead of World Sepsis Day, I encourage you to read the Sepsis Epidemiology Report and reflect on how its insights can strengthen practice and support patients in your setting. Also, access the supporting resources and promotional tools to help raise awareness of this critical condition. Together, we can turn the tide on sepsis in Australia.
Yours sincerely,
Conjoint Associate Professor Carolyn Hullick
Chief Medical Officer
Read the Sepsis Epidemiology Report
