A 13-year-old's tragic death from a treatable injury, after her parents' concerns were ignored, has spurred a vital patient safety change in the UK. Martha's Rule, now in effect at 143 NHS sites, empowers patients and families to demand rapid senior clinician reviews if they feel care is inadequate, ensuring no one's pleas go unheard.
NHS staff in England have made over 1,700 calls to Martha's Rule helplines since their launch in September 2024, with over 1,000 calls helping identify serious patient deterioration. The scheme, set up after 13-year-old Martha Mills died from care failings, has led to more than 500 ICU transfers and around 1,500 treatment changes. Martha's mother Merope Mills said a nurse who worried about Martha would have used the helpline had it existed.
More than 500 patients have received life-saving care after Martha's Rule was implemented across NHS England in 2024. The patient safety mechanism, which allows patients, relatives and staff to request a rapid review of care, led to 524 adults and children being moved to intensive care or specialist units between September 2024 and February 2026. Of 12,301 calls made to helplines, about one in three identified patients whose health was deteriorating. The rule is named after Martha Mills, who died aged 13 in 2021 after her family's concerns went unheeded at King's College Hospital.
