- Martha’s Rule, which guarantees 24-hour access to urgent clinical reviews, is being expanded into NHS hospital accident and emergency departments across England.
- The scheme was created following the death of 13-year-old Martha Mills, who died from sepsis in 2021 after clinicians failed to act on her parents' repeated warnings.
- The expansion allows patients, families and staff in A&E to call a dedicated helpline to request a second opinion if a patient's health deteriorates and concerns are being ignored.
- An eight-month trial across seven hospital trusts resulted in 69 calls, with several patients subsequently receiving urgent surgery or intensive care transfers.
- The phased rollout across A&Es, as well as maternity and neonatal units, is scheduled to be fully completed by March 2028.
IN FULL
