Martha's Rule rolled out at every A&E department in England

The NHS is extending “Martha’s Rule” to every emergency department across England after a successful eight‑month pilot at seven trusts. The policy, named for 13‑year‑old Martha Mills who died of sepsis at King’s College Hospital in 2021, gives patients, families and staff a dedicated phone line to request an urgent, independent review when a patient’s condition appears to be deteriorating and concerns are not being heard. The rollout, which began immediately and is slated for completion by March 2028, follows a trial that generated 69 calls, some of which prompted immediate surgery or transfer to intensive care, and builds on a broader implementation already underway on inpatient wards.

Martha’s death highlighted a failure to act on family warnings; a 2022 coroner’s ruling concluded she likely would have survived had she been transferred earlier to intensive care and given appropriate treatment for the blood‑poisoning that followed a bike accident. Her parents, Merope and Paul Mills, campaigned for a cultural shift, resulting in the rule that now empowers anyone in an A&E setting to trigger a rapid review. Professor Aidan Fowler, national director of patient safety at NHS England, described the expansion as a “critical new lifeline” that can improve care and save lives, noting that similar schemes on adult and children’s wards have already handled thousands of calls with life‑saving outcomes.

The initiative forms part of wider NHS efforts to place patient safety at the centre of care, with health minister Baroness Merron endorsing the move. While England proceeds with nationwide coverage, Scotland has begun adopting the rule, Northern Ireland is weighing its use, and Wales operates a comparable program called Call4Concern. Patients and relatives are advised to check their local trust’s website or speak with hospital staff to confirm the availability of Martha’s Rule at their facility.

⚡ Effects Interpreter