"Martha's rule, a way for families to seek an urgent second opinion if they are concerned about the care their loved ones receive, will be rolled out across all English hospitals delivering acute or short-term treatment. The telephone helpline, the result of a campaign by the parents of 13-year-old Martha Mills who died after serious failings in her care, has been piloted in 143 hospital sites in England since April 2024."
"The initiative encourages families, carers and patients to speak up if they notice changes in the patient's condition and to seek an urgent review from a critical care team if the patient is deteriorating and their concerns are not being listened to. Under the scheme, clinicians also record daily insights about a patient's health directly from families. Staff, including those in junior roles, can also ask for a review from a team independent of the one they work with."
Martha's Rule will be rolled out across all English hospitals delivering acute or short-term treatment to allow families, carers and patients to request urgent second opinions when concerned about care. The helpline was piloted at 143 hospital sites since April 2024 and received 4,906 calls, resulting in 241 potentially life-saving interventions. The scheme enables clinicians to record daily insights from families and allows staff, including junior clinicians, to request independent reviews. NHS England data show 71.9% of calls came from families, with 720 calls leading to care changes, 794 addressing delays, and 1,030 resolving communication or discharge problems. Martha's mother welcomed the expansion and seeks UK-wide access.
Read at www.bbc.com
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