Introduced in 2024, Martha's rule is an NHS patient safety initiative and it can be used by patients and their families to request an immediate review when it is suspected that a patient's health is deteriorating at an unusual rate.
Between September and October, 143 hospitals that have implemented this rule recorded 573 escalation calls, with 286 leading to clinicial reviews and 57 resulting in potentially life-saving treatment, indicating the necessary and impactful use of Martha's rule across NHS healthcare systems.
The scheme was initiated and named after Martha Mills, who passed away from sepsis in 2021 at the age of thirteen, due to a failure to escalate her to intensive care.
We’re really pleased to see the immediate positive impact Martha’s Rule has made in the hospitals that have introduced it so far. It is our view that listening to the voices of patients and their families makes for the best and safest medicine.
The framework of Martha's Rule consists of the following three components to ensure immediate response to deteriorating conditions of patients:
- An escalation process will be available 24/7 at all the 143 sites, advertised throughout the hospitals on posters and leaflets, enabling patients and families to contact a critical care outreach team that can swiftly assess a case and escalate care if necessary.
- NHS staff will also have access to this same process if they have concerns about a patient’s condition.
- Clinicians at participating hospitals will formally record daily insights and information about a patient’s health directly from their families, ensuring any concerning changes in behaviour or condition noticed by the people who know the patient best are considered by staff.
Source: NHS England
