Martha's Rule Expands to All English Emergency Departments

LONDON – Every Accident & Emergency (A&E) department in England has implemented 'Martha's Rule,' a new patient safety initiative. This expansion follows an initial rollout in September 2023 at 14 adult and pediatric acute NHS trusts.

Martha's Rule provides patients, their families, and carers with the right to request an urgent review of a patient's condition. This review occurs if they observe a significant deterioration in the patient's health and believe medical staff are not recognizing or responding to it adequately.

The initiative is named after Martha Mills, a 13-year-old girl who died in 2021. Her family had expressed concerns about her deteriorating condition to medical staff, but they reported that their concerns went unaddressed. An inquest later determined that Martha died from acute septic shock, which could have been treatable.

The rule establishes a clear and rapid process for patients and their families to escalate their concerns directly to a critical care outreach team or other senior clinicians. This ensures a prompt re-evaluation of the patient's medical status.

NHS England announced the full implementation across all A&E departments as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance patient safety and communication within healthcare settings. The initiative aims to empower families and patients to advocate for their care effectively when they perceive a critical need.