BBC audiences learn about Sepsis from storylines in Call the Midwife and The Archers

Coverage of Sepsis on The Archers and Call The Midwife led to over 20,000 calls or visits to the BBC Action Line to find information or support on the issue this year

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Over 15,000 Archers listeners sought advice and support in February and March when much-loved character Nic Grundy lost her life to Sepsis after a cut on her arm became infected.

And more than 5,000 Call The Midwife viewers contacted BBC Action Lines for support March, following the tragic death of Nurse Barbara Gilbert, also from Sepsis.

They were among almost 400,000 calls or visits to BBC Action Line in 2018, which provides supporting information for viewers and listeners affected by issues addressed in the BBC’s programmes. Over the year, the BBC Action Line was promoted on air 400 times after programmes dealt with difficult or sensitive issues.

Both programmes covered Sepsis and its symptoms to help raise awareness of the condition, which can happen to anyone. It affects more than 250,000 people and causes 44,000 deaths every year in the UK alone, of which 14,000 are preventable.

Executive Producer of Call The Midwife Pippa Harris says: “We are pleased that so many people responded to Barbara’s storyline and reached out to the BBC Action line because of it. So many of the Call The Midwife issues we raise affect people today so we make sure our scripts and storylines are accurate and relatable. Heidi Thomas continues to write such thoughtful and provoking episodes into series 8 which returns in January 2019.”

Editor of The Archers Jeremy Howe says: “From the outset The Archers has tackled and brought to prominence many important issues such as domestic abuse, the outbreak of BSE and - in the tragic case of Nic Grundy’s death – Sepsis. The Archers team take a lot of care to ensure these storylines are well researched and handled sensitively, and to know that this helped raise awareness of Sepsis and had such a positive response from listeners is extremely rewarding.”

On meeting someone who said her life was saved as a result of the storyline, Archers actor Becky Wright (Nic Grundy) says: “As an actor you never ever expect the work you do to reach that far into the ‘real world’. I was completely blown away.”

Appreciations for the programmes were received from audience members with experience, either as survivors or having lost family members, of the ‘often overlooked’ illness, and highlighted the importance of having shown the signs of Sepsis and urgency required when they are spotted.

Keith Jones, BBC Audience Services, says: “The BBC’s unique Public Service role means we have a duty not only to cover the many difficult issues that touch the lives of our audiences, but also to offer free off-air information about them and help those affected to find organisations willing to offer support and help. We hope this has helped the many who contacted us needing support this year.”

Source BBC One

January 2, 2019 6:43am ET by BBC One  

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