The UK Government will be distributing Jess’s Rules posters to all GP surgery facilities in England to remind them of their commitment to life-saving patient safety.
Jess’s Rules posters will be distributed to all GP surgeries in the UK from this week, demonstrating our commitment to safety to GPs, primary care staff and patients in thousands of consulting rooms.
The rules require GPs to approach patients with “fresh eyes” and reconsider if they are unable to provide a patient with a solid diagnosis or their symptoms worsen after three visits.
What are Jess’s rules?
The initiative, announced in September 2025, is named in honor of Jessica Brady, who passed away from cancer in December 2020 at the age of 27.
GPs will be supported to detect potentially fatal diseases early, helping to avoid tragic and preventable deaths.
Jessica had more than 20 GP appointments in the five months before her death, but was ultimately forced to seek treatment at a private medical facility. She was then diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma, so advanced that there was no cure, and she died in hospital three weeks later.
Jess’s Rules is the result of a years-long campaign by Jess’s parents to turn tragedy into a lasting change in patient safety.
Report finds younger patients require more interaction with healthcare providers
The Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation report on cancer diagnosis in young people and ethnic minorities found that half of 16-24 year olds required three or more contacts with a GP healthcare practitioner before being diagnosed with cancer, compared to one in five in the overall population.
Jess’s rules encourage GPs to arrange face-to-face consultations if previous consultations were remote, carry out a thorough physical examination, order further diagnostic tests and ask colleagues for a second opinion.
Jess’s Rules are an important part of the Government’s wider commitment to supporting GPs to provide the best possible care for their patients, as outlined in the 10 Year Care Plan.
Improving patient safety across the UK
Displaying Jess’ Rules posters in exam rooms increases patient safety by encouraging physicians to review patient records, question initial assumptions, and pay attention to warning signs that may be overlooked.
The rollout to all 6,170 GP surgeries across the UK demonstrates the Government’s commitment to protecting patients, saving lives and preventing unnecessary tragedies.
Health and Human Services Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“Jess’s Rule makes that possible, reminding clinicians to take a fresh look when symptoms persist and giving patients a say in their treatment.”
Supporting general physicians in detecting serious diseases
The new Jess’s Rules poster was designed in collaboration with NHS England, Department of Health and Social Care, and Jess’s parents, Andrea and Simon Brady.
They will listen to all patients and ensure that GPs have the support they need to catch serious illnesses before it is too late.
Along with the poster, GPs will also receive a letter from Claire Fuller, Secretary of State for Health and National Medical Director for NHS England, highlighting the importance of this approach.
The letter asks GPs to display posters in exam rooms and staff areas so that the message about Jess’s rules is visible to all teams.
“Encouraging GP teams to challenge diagnoses when it matters most will help avoid missed or delayed diagnoses and save lives,” said Dr Claire Fuller, National Medical Director for NHS England.
“These posters will help reinforce the important principle of Jess’s Rule, ‘Three Strikes and Think Again,’ which will be displayed in exam rooms where clinicians make important decisions related to patient diagnoses and treatment plans every day.”
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