NHS England to extend Martha’s Rule to all A&E departments by 2028
NHS England confirmed that the 24/7 patient-safety phone service, Martha’s Rule, will be introduced in every accident-and-emergency department across England, giving families a direct line for urgent care reviews.
Martha’s Rule, created after the 2021 death of 13-year-old Martha Mills from sepsis at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, gives patients, families and staff a dedicated phone number to trigger an urgent review when a condition deteriorates. A coroner later concluded that earlier intensive-care transfer might have saved her life, prompting the rule’s introduction. After a successful eight-month pilot involving 69 calls, NHS England announced a nationwide rollout to all A&E departments, with the phased implementation set to finish by March 2028.
The service is already active in 221 acute adult and paediatric inpatient sites and is expected to extend to maternity and neonatal units as well. Professor Aidan Fowler highlighted the rule’s transformative impact on acute care safety, while Health and Social Care Minister Baroness Merron stressed its role in ensuring patient concerns are heard.
Why it matters
The rollout gives patients and families a direct way to raise safety concerns in emergency rooms, potentially preventing avoidable deaths.
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