Sepsis in primary care

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency, affecting 55,000 Australians each year and causing over 8,700 deaths—more than breast and prostate cancers combined. Early recognition and timely intervention are critical, yet recognising and diagnosing sepsis in primary care can be challenging due to its non-specific early symptoms. For every hour of delay in antibiotic administration, mortality risk increases by 7.6%, highlighting the urgent need for improved clinical awareness and response.

Target audience: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners, Aboriginal Health Workers, Medical Practitioners, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Paramedics.

Cost: Free

CPD points: This activity has been approved for 1 CPD hour under the RACGP CPD Program (activity number: 1660106).

Early recognition and treatment of sepsis in primary care

This interactive, case-based eLearning module is designed to equip GPs and other primary care clinicians with the latest evidence-based strategies to recognise, assess, and manage sepsis across diverse patient populations. Developed in collaboration with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and Sepsis Australia, this course ensures you have the skills and confidence to make life-saving decisions in real-world clinical settings.

Enrolment

Select the button below to start the latest version of this course

What you will learn:

  • The early signs of sepsis in adults, children, and maternal patients
  • How to apply screening tools and clinical pathways for timely diagnosis
  • The risk factors for sepsis
  • The development and implementation of effective safety netting strategies to ensure timely re-presentation
  • How to identify and manage post-sepsis syndrome, which affects up to 50% of survivors
  • Indications for escalation of care and effective interdisciplinary communication.

Why enrol?

  • Engaging, case-based learning with real-world clinical scenarios
  • Expert-led insights from sepsis specialists and primary care educators
  • Accredited CPD activity, contributing to your professional development
  • Practical guidance for immediate application in clinical practice

This course is essential for all primary care providers seeking to improve patient outcomes and reduce sepsis-related mortality. Enrol today and help save lives.

CPD Points

 

RACGP

This activity has been approved for 1 CPD hour under the RACGP CPD Program (activity number: 1660106).

 

Self-directed CPD

It is recommended that 1 CPD hour be recorded for the purposes of self-directed CPD.

Last modified: Tuesday, 1 September 2026, 4:33 PM