Martha's Rule helplines get more than 1,700 calls from worried NHS staff

"Martha's Rule encourages families, carers and patients to speak up if they notice changes in a patient's condition and to seek an urgent review from a critical care team if their health is deteriorating and concerns are not being listened to."

"The helplines have been available in 143 hospital sites in England since September 2024 and of the nearly 1,800 calls made by staff between then and February this year, over 1000 have helped identify serious deterioration of a patient's condition."

"Mills stressed the importance of the calls coming from staff as they made use of the 'non-confrontational' way to raise concerns. She said the 'extremely hierarchical' nature of medicine made it hard for junior staff to question their superiors."

Martha's Rule helplines were established following the death of Martha Mills, who suffered due to care failings. The helplines allow families and staff to report concerns about patient health. Since their launch, over 1,700 calls have been made, with more than 1,000 identifying serious patient deterioration. The initiative aims to empower staff, especially juniors, to voice concerns without fear of confrontation. The NHS is expanding these helplines across England to enhance patient safety and care responsiveness.

Read at www.bbc.com