You know yourself or your loved one better than anyone. If you’re worried about a health condition getting worse, please talk to us.

What is Martha's Rule?

Martha’s Rule will be live across two of our adult and children’s inpatient wards - Devonshire and Ridgeway – from Monday, 21 September, before we roll it out across all our inpatient wards. Martha’s Rule is there to help spot any signs of deterioration early and give you the right to request a rapid review if you’re worried that you or your loved one’s condition is getting worse.

You may notice small changes before they show up in our routine measurements. These changes could be early warning signs of deterioration. 

While someone is in hospital, we regularly check their vital signs and other important health measurements. The frequency of these checks will depend on the patient’s individual condition and needs. Sometimes we may need to wake patients to do these checks.

In addition, we will also ask regularly if patients are feeling better or worse. This is to monitor any unexpected changes in their condition. 

  1. In the first instance, please speak to the Nurse in Charge.         
  2. If, after speaking to the Nurse in Charge, you remain worried and feel your concerns are not being addressed, ask the NIC to call for a rapid - Martha’s Rule - review. Phone: 07469 413944. Your ward will undertake a routine and current set of observations (blood pressure, Oxygen levels and heart rate)
  3. Your call will go to a different team in our hospital who specialise in the care of acutely ill patients. They will work with your or your loved one's care team to arrange any treatment needed or a rapid review.

The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We will regularly ask for your views and take your concerns seriously. We see you as a partner in the care we are providing and want you to raise any worries and concerns you may have.

Difference between Martha’s Rule and a second opinion

Martha’s Rule allows hospital in-patients and their families to seek a rapid review if their condition, or the condition of a loved one, is deteriorating.

A second opinion is when you would like to see another senior clinician/ consultant to discuss the current diagnosis or treatment. 

Martha Mills died in 2021 after developing sepsis in hospital, where she had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike. Martha’s family’s concerns about her deteriorating condition were not responded to, and in 2023 a coroner ruled that Martha, aged 13, would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.

Dr Som Sarkar, Deputy Medical Director and Trust Lead for Martha’s Rule, says: “I’m pleased to be supporting the roll-out of Martha’s Rule across the Trust. It builds on the strong culture we have and continues to build around patient safety, but also challenges us to do better by making escalation clearer and more accessible for everyone. This is complementary to how we escalate concerns, and as a part of this, we are reviewing our escalation policy to align with Nervecentre, making roles and responsibilities of clinical staff clearer. At its heart, Martha’s Rule is about listening, responding early, and doing the right thing for our patients and their families.”

Dr Hal Spencer, Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted to see Martha’s Rule being rolled out across our Trust. It’s about listening to patients, carers and families, the importance of really good communication, and above all about providing really safe, high-quality care for our patients. I feel this is a great opportunity for us to build on our strong foundations and values and improve the care we give – together.”