We’re committed to making sure every voice is heard when it comes to patient care.
We are one of the first NHS Trusts to take part in Martha’s Rule, a national patient safety initiative.
Martha’s Rule is being implemented across the NHS to empower patients and their families or carers to raise urgent concerns if they feel a patient’s condition is worsening and that hasn’t been recognised by the healthcare team.
The initiative is named after 13-year-old Martha Mills who tragically died after developing sepsis in hospital in 2021. She had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike.
During her stay, Martha’s family’s concerns about her worsening condition were not responded to and in 2023 a coroner ruled Martha would probably have survived if she had been moved to intensive care earlier.
In response to this, campaigning from Martha’s parents, and other cases related to the management of patient deterioration, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England agreed to implement Martha’s Rule.
It’s designed to make sure the vitally important concerns of patients, and those who know the patient best, are listened to and acted on.
We are among 143 NHS Trusts in England taking part in the pilot of Martha’s Rule in 2025.
We are currently trialling Martha's Rule on one of our Adult wards and on our Paediatrics wards, with a view to rolling out the scheme to more wards from April onwards.
Call for Concern
To implement Martha's Rule we are using our existing Call for Concern process.
If patients, families or carers are concerned that the patient's condition is worsening, you should tell the ward team first. If you feel you still haven't got the right help, you can call the Call for Concern number on 02476 964128. Your call will picked up by our Critical Care Outreach Team who will liaise with the medical teams as needed.
Call for Concern and Martha's Rule will work differently in our Children's Department. When the Call for Concern number is used, the details of your concern will be passed onto the Senior Paediatric Nurse on duty who will advocate for the child and their family. They will follow a clear process to support the child and their family and arrange a second clinical review by the most suitable doctor. On some occasions this may be a doctor who has already reviewed the child or young person. A second paediatric consultant will be available between 9am and 1pm.
We know that having a child or young person in hospital is a worrying time so we want to reassure patients, their families or carers that your voice matters.
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