Seven hospitals in Birmingham announce roll out of 'Martha's Rule' - here's why

Seven hospitals across Birmingham are preparing to implement ‘Martha’s Rule’, in the next step towards improving patient safety.

This initiative will also be rolled out across thirteen hospitals in total throughout the West Midlands.

Across the West Midlands, thirteen hospitals in total, are to roll out 'Martha's Rule' in the next step of a major patient safety initiative.

The NHS announced on Wednesday (29 May) listing the 143 hospital sites that will test and implement Martha’s Rule in its first year.

What is the new ‘Martha’s Rule’ initiative?

Martha’s Rule is to provide a consistent and understandable way for patients and families to seek an urgent review if their or their loved one’s condition deteriorates and they are concerned this is not being responded to.

The scheme is named after thirteen-year-old Martha Mills, who died from sepsis having been treated at King’s College Hospital, London, in 2021, due to a failure to escalate her to intensive care, and after her family’s concerns about her deteriorating condition were not responded to.

What does ‘Martha’s Rule’ consist of?

NHS England is working with Martha’s parents to develop materials to advertise and explain the initiative in hospitals across the country, to ensure it is something that all patients, staff, and their families can recognise.

Martha’s Rule is to be made up of three components to ensure concerns about deterioration can be swiftly responded to.

Support includes an escalation process which will be available 24/7, advertised throughout the hospitals on posters and leaflets, enabling patients and families to contact a critical care outreach team that can swiftly assess a case and escalate care if necessary.

NHS staff will also have access to this same process if they have concerns about a patient’s condition.

Merope Mills and Paul Laity, Martha’s parents, said: “We are pleased that the roll-out of Martha’s Rule is off to a flying start and that the need for it has been so widely recognised.

“It will save lives and encourage better, more open, communication on hospital wards, so that patients feel they are listened to, and partners in their healthcare.”

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Jess Sokolov, NHS England’s medical director for the Midlands said: “Rolling out Martha’s Rule to thirteen sites in the West Midlands later this financial year will represent one of the most important changes to patient care in recent years.

“This first phase is an important milestone which allow staff, patients and families in these areas to immediately raise concerns and bring about an escalation in care in an easily recognisable and fast way.

“While thankfully the need for escalation of care will hopefully only be needed in a limited number of cases, this three-step safety net has the opportunity to truly transform patient care and safety.”

What hospitals will implement Martha’s Rule?

The seven hospitals in Birmingham, implementing the rule are:

• Birmingham Heartlands Hospital (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust)

• Good Hope Hospital (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust)

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust)

• Solihull Hospital (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust)

• Birmingham Children’s Hospital (Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust)

• Birmingham City Hospital (Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust)

• Sandwell General Hospital (Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust)