Martha’s Rule, an important patient safety initiative, has been launched across all three of Norfolk’s acute hospitals – the James Paget University Hospital, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn.
What is Martha’s Rule?
The new rule is named after Martha Mills, who died in London in 2021 aged 13 after developing sepsis in hospital where she had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike. At the time hospital staff did not respond to concerns raised by her family that her condition was deteriorating. In 2023 a coroner ruled that Martha would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.
Martha’s Rule gives patients and their loved ones the chance to voice any worries or observations they may have to hospital staff about their condition and know they will be taken seriously. As part of the new initiative, patients will be asked regularly about whether they feel their condition is getting better or worse and opportunities will be provided for them to raise concerns.
How will it work?
There are three main components to Martha’s Rule:
• Patients are asked, at least daily, about how they are feeling, and if they are getting better or worse. This information is then acted upon.
• All staff can ask for a review from a different team if they are concerned that a patient is deteriorating and those concerns are not being responded to.
• Escalation routes are available to patients, their families and carers, and advertised across the hospitals.
A dedicated Martha’s Rule phone line will also be made available to patients, their loved ones and staff, through which they they can seek an independent review from specialised staff should they feel a patient’s condition is getting worse.
‘Empowers family and friends’
The introduction of Martha’s Rule replaces a previous pilot scheme run across Norfolk’s acute hospitals called ‘Call for Concern’. This scheme was introduced only in specific departments and would receive an average of 20 calls per month across all three sites. Martha’s Rule will now be implemented throughout all areas of the hospitals, including departments caring for babies and children.
Rachael Cocker, Chief Nurse at Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, said: “Martha’s Rule empowers family and friends of patients to speak up and be listened to knowing prompt action will be taken.”
Find out more about Martha’s Rule here.
10 March 2026