Major change at every A&E hospital in England as Martha's Rule rolled out for patients

Major change at every A&E hospital in England as Martha's Rule rolled out for patients Martha's Law is being introduced following the 2021 death by sepsis of Martha Mills at King's College Hospital London, with the rollout set to be completed by 2028 The NHS has announced it will extend Martha's Rule across hospital A&E departments in England, enabling patients and their families to challenge decisions about their care. The policy, named after 13-year-old Martha Mills, who died at King's College Hospital in Southeast London in 2021 after developing sepsis, or blood poisoning. Her parents, Merope Mills and Paul Laity, said their concerns about her deteriorating condition were repeatedly dismissed. The bereaved parents have worked over the last five years to introduce the rule, the nationwide rollout of which starts now following successful trials. Martha's Rule will allow patients, loved ones and staff at A&E units across England to call a dedicated phone number and trigger an urgent wellbeing review - provided the patient's health is deteriorating and they feel their concerns are not being listened to. Successful trials have tested the policy at seven trusts, and, with today's rollout, that success should be spread across England by March 2028 as it's already being implemented across inpatient wards. During an eight-month pilot, 69 calls were made to Martha’s Rule phone numbers, with some patients going on to have urgent surgery or being transferred to intensive care, NHS England said. Professor Aidan Fowler, national director of patient safety at NHS England, said the tool would be "essential" for care. He said: “A&Es see some of our most vulnerable patients, so the ability to raise concerns about deterioration quickly and trigger a rapid review of care is essential. “Martha’s Rule is already having a transformative effect in making our acute care even safer, and by expanding Martha’s Rule into A&Es, we are giving even more patients, their families and NHS staff a critical new lifeline to help improve care and save more lives." “Early testing has shown that Martha’s Rule can work well in busy A&Es and builds on the evidence from our adult and children’s wards, where thousands of calls have been made by patients, families and staff to date – with many leading to changes in treatment and potentially life-saving interventions.” Health minister Baroness Merron said: “Martha’s Rule is about making sure patients and their loved ones are heard when they raise concerns about their care. “Expanding it to A&E will give patients, families and staff another way to speak up when they are worried that someone’s condition is getting worse, ensuring concerns are acted on quickly. “This is part of our wider efforts to put patient safety at the heart of the NHS.” Hospitals are also expected to extend Martha’s Rule to A&E, maternity and neonatal units by March 2028. The latest figures for July 2026 show the highest-ever monthly total of calls made via Martha’s Rule, with 1,678 placed that month alone.