Anna’s Blog – Why is Martha’s Rule Important?
Updated statistics from NHS England evidence the continued success of Martha’s Rule since its inception in September 2024.
Martha Mills’ heartbreaking experience at Kings College hospital in London prompted an inquest into Martha’s death. In this inquest, the coroner ruled that Martha would likely have survived if her sepsis was diagnosed earlier.
‘Martha’s Rule’ aims to prevent this from happening to others, introducing access to 24/7 NHS helplines that patients, families, carers and staff can use to request a rapid review of care when an inpatient’s health is deteriorating.
Over the past month, 1,063 escalation calls have been received. This brings the total number of calls made to Martha’s Rule helplines up to 12,301. Approximately one in three (4,047) of these calls have helped hospitals to identify inpatients who were experiencing a deterioration in health.
Surprisingly, 1,780 of these calls were received from NHS staff, with 1,080 alerting the hospital to the acute deterioration of a patient. This statistic demonstrates the sincere importance of this initiative, bypassing the hierarchical structures present in healthcare and encouraging people to speak up.
Merope Mills and Paul Laity, parents of Martha Mills, commented that this is “clear evidence that issues such as hierarchy, poor communication and some doctors’ resistance to being challenged affect hospital care every day. Such factors are crucial to any explanation as to why Martha lost her life.
“As a professional tribunal has judged: all the ward doctors were bound by the hierarchy. Martha’s rule would have given them more agency and might have encouraged them to take more responsibility.”
Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, added: “The NHS is changing its culture and putting patient safety at its heart. Change isn’t always easy, but Martha’s rule is proof that it can be done.”
We are so glad to see the continual progress of Martha’s Rule, which is helping to improve the hospital care that individuals are receiving. While this progress should be celebrated, it is also essential that awareness around Martha’s Rule is increased.
An interim review from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NHIR) found that only 32% of participants surveyed were aware of the escalation process. Awareness was four times higher among those who have previously accessed higher education. These statistics highlight the need for more open conversations around Martha’s Rule, what it is, and its significance.
Martha’s Rule should be accessible to everyone. We encourage you to spread awareness and facilitate the fantastic progress it continues to make. The importance of this initiative is clear, and its full potential can only be reached if we overcome these barriers together.
Whether you are a patient, carer, support worker, family member, or someone who works in healthcare, we encourage you to use the Martha’s Rule helpline if you witness an inpatient’s deterioration in health. Using this initiative could help to save someone’s life.
Each hospital has their own, dedicated Martha’s Rule phone number. You can find your hospital’s contact number by:
- Checking your hospital’s website
- Looking for posters displayed in the hospital
- Asking hospital staff
Read our previous blogs on Martha’s rule here: