In 2013, the UK identified sepsis management as an NHS clinical priority. The literature strongly suggests that sepsis is a massive problem for healthcare services throughout the world and, in those areas where robust statistics are available, the disease burden is high and incidence and mortality are increasing dramatically. Reasons given for this include antibiotic resistance, increased bacterial virulence and an aging population. The economic burden is similarly high, making improvement in diagnosis and care clinical priorities. Gaps in care delivery have been identified and there is evidence of an opportunity for cost-effective quality improvement.