Table 1. Failures in the management of patients admitted with neutropenic sepsis (NCEPOD, 2008).

Organisational failures	Clinical failures
Lack of treatment policy in emergency departments	Delayed admission
Clinician unaware of treatment policy	Failure of junior doctors to make the diagnosis
Patient managed in an inappropriate care setting	Lack of awareness that patients without a fever may still have FN
Only occasional oncology visit to cancer unit in a district general hospital	Lack of early assessment by senior staff Delayed resuscitation Delayed prescription and administration of antibiotics Failure to adhere to local antibiotics policy Delayed transfer to intensive care