In the NHS system’s first 16 months, the Martha’s Rule helpline received more than 10,000 calls, saving lives and enabling thousands of patients to benefit from changes in care.
NHS England data shows that one in three (34%) calls to Martha’s Rule by patients, families or staff confirm a rapid deterioration in a patient’s condition, helping the NHS to identify concerns more quickly and make key interventions in care.
In addition, hospitals are running communication campaigns to raise awareness of Martha’s Law, including displaying dedicated posters around wards and buildings.
This ensures that the program is easy to understand and that its use is normalized for patients, families, and staff.
The tragedy that led to Martha’s Law
Martha Mills died in 2021 at the age of 13 from sepsis after being hospitalized with pancreatic damage after falling off her bike.
The family’s concerns about Martha’s deteriorating condition were not addressed, and in 2022 the coroner ruled that Martha would likely have survived had she been moved to intensive care sooner.
Following a campaign by Martha’s parents Merope and Paul, NHS England began implementing Martha’s Rules in February 2024 and announced its rollout across 143 testing sites in May 2024.
Merope-Mills said: “The more data we collect, the more it becomes clear that Martha’s Rule is having a very positive impact. Apart from lives saved, more than a third of calls led to significant improvements in care.”
“This process has not been abused, clearly meets a need, and gives patients and families real agency.”
Deployment of Martha’s Rule significantly increases escalation calls
Between September 2024 and December 2025, 10,119 escalation calls were made to the Martha’s Rule helpline.
3,457 of these calls helped identify an acute deterioration, leading to treatment changes for 1,885 patients, including 446 potentially lifesaving interventions, such as transition to an enhanced level of care.
More than 6,000 calls resolved clinical, communication, or coordination issues, leading to meaningful improvements in care and system navigation for patients and their families.
Calls to the Martha’s Rule helpline have more than doubled (4,911 calls) since June last year as the rollout ramps up and Martha’s Rule is introduced in all adult and pediatric acute admission facilities within the NHS.
A new approach to patient care
Key hospital patient safety initiatives require staff to use a structured approach to obtain information about a patient’s condition from patients and their families at least daily, and encourage patients, families, and caregivers to tell the care team if they notice a change in someone’s condition.
It also provides a way to seek urgent testing if you or your loved one’s condition worsens and you’re worried you won’t be able to get treatment.
If staff are concerned that appropriate action is not being taken, they can request a review by another team.
The rollout of Martha’s Rule has been made possible through the dedication of Martha’s parents and the hard work of NHS staff across the country, supported by NHS England and the Health Innovation Network Patient Safety Collaborative.
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