A team of nurses from the Royal Free Hospital has been recognised for their pioneering treatment of the life-threatening illness sepsis, which has seen the mortality rates of patients almost halved.

Nurses from the hospital in Pond Street, Hampstead, were presented with the award for emergency and critical care at the Nursing Times Awards, in front of an audience of more than 1,000 medical professionals at the Grosvenor Hotel in Victoria.

The Royal Free team was chosen for progress in treating sepsis, a life-threatening illness caused by the body over-reacting to an infection.

Margaret Devaney, 39, the lead nurse for the patient at risk and resuscitation team, said the award was a fantastic win for the whole hospital.

“We’ve been given such a boost and everyone at the hospital has been really happy for us,” she said.

“The fact that the Royal Free has been able to save further lives with its pioneering work is great to be a part of.

“We’re now showing other hospitals how to replicate the same success.”

The hospital revealed that mortality rates for those patients suffering sepsis who were treated with the new programme had dropped from 22 per cent in 2010 to its current level of 12pc.

The ­average length of hospital stay also reduced from 20 days to eight.