Two North West London Hospitals to introduce Martha's Rule
The patient safety initiative, known as ‘Martha’s Rule’, is set to be rolled out to at least 100 NHS sites from April. It will give patients and their families round-the-clock access to a rapid review from an independent critical care team if they are worried about their or a loved one’s condition.
This escalation process will be available 24/7 to patients, families and NHS staff, and will be advertised throughout hospitals, making it quickly and easily accessible.
Evaluation of the initial roll-out from at least 100 trust sites during 2024/25 will inform proposals for 'Martha’s Rule' to be expanded further across all acute hospitals, subject to government funding.
NHS teams will also identify ways to roll out an adapted 'Martha’s Rule' model across other settings, including community and mental health hospitals, where the processes may not apply in the same way.
The three proposed elements of Martha’s Rule are:
- All staff in NHS trusts must have 24/7 access to a rapid review from a critical care outreach team, who they can contact should they have concerns about a patient.
- All patients, their families, carers, and advocates must also have access to the same 24/7 rapid review from a critical care outreach team, which they can contact via mechanisms advertised around the hospital, and more widely if they are worried about the patient’s condition. This is Martha’s Rule.
- The NHS must implement a structured approach to obtain information relating to a patient’s condition directly from patients and their families at least daily. In the first instance, this will cover all inpatients in acute and specialist trusts.
“The news that Martha's rule will be implemented in NHS hospitals is hugely welcome.
Patients can already request second opinions on their treatment, and most doctors respect these requests. However, the new rule will help shift the balance of power from medical discretion towards the patient or their family, who will be able to trigger a second opinion directly.
If implemented correctly, with clear communications to raise awareness about people’s rights, the introduction of Martha's Rule will help to reassure patients and their families and save more lives in future.”
