Martha’s Rule to expand across emergency care in England from late September
New measures aim to enhance patient safety and rapid reviews in A&E departments
Martha's Rule, designed to facilitate rapid medical reviews, will be extended to include hospital A&E departments in England starting from 22nd September 2026.
The rule, named after 13-year-old Martha Mills who sadly passed away from sepsis in 2021 while under the care of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, will offer 24/7 access to urgent care reviews and make it easier for staff and families to request a second opinion.
The NHS plans to extend Martha’s Rule beyond inpatient wards to emergency departments, allowing families, patients, and staff to call a designated phone number if they feel medical concerns are being overlooked. A pilot run across seven NHS trusts demonstrated promising results, with 69 calls leading to urgent surgeries or intensive care transfers.
Professor Aidan Fowler, national director of patient safety at NHS England, emphasised the importance of addressing patient concerns swiftly in busy A&E departments to safeguard vulnerable individuals.
Health minister Baroness Merron underscored the significance of this initiative in prioritising patient safety within the NHS framework.
Overall, the expansion of Martha's Rule is set to influence A&E, maternity, and neonatal units by March 2028, marking a significant step forward in patient care across England.
Latest data from July 2026 indicates a record number of 1,678 calls made via Martha’s Rule, illustrating its growing impact. The initiative aims to address the UK's standing in international patient safety rankings, encouraging continuous improvement and the prevention of treatable condition-related fatalities.