In 2021 Martha Mills sadly passed away after developing sepsis in hospital after being admitted with a pancreatic injury following a fall from her bike. Martha’s family’s concerns about her condition were not acted upon and it was concluded by the Coroner at her Inquest that she probably would have survived if she had been moved to intensive care sooner.
Her mother, Merope Mills, has since been campaigning for Martha’s Rule which was implemented across 143 hospitals in May 2024. The 3 elements of Martha’s Rule are as follows:
- Patients will be asked, at least daily, about how they are feeling, and if they are getting better or worse, and this information will be acted upon in a structured way.
- All staff will be able, at any time, to ask for a review from a different team if they are concerned that a patient is deteriorating, and they are not being responded to.
- This escalation route will also always be available to patients themselves, their families and carers and advertised across the hospital.
It has now been reported that 1 out of every 8 phone calls made under Martha’s rule has led to a potentially life-saving change of treatment and that in September and October 2024 50% of calls made led to a critical care review, in 57 cases there was a change in treatment and a further 14 patients were transferred to intensive care.
More detail about the implementation of Martha’s rule can be found here.
Kirsty Dakin, Associate Solicitor at MDS and Specialist Medical Negligence Solicitor, said ‘it is fantastic to see that Martha’s Rule is saving lives and hopefully it will therefore be implemented across the country.’
MDS is a specialist medical negligence law firm. Our expert solicitors represent clients all around England and Wales, and we are dedicated to helping people who have been injured by medical negligence.
If you are concerned about any care that you or a member of your family has received, please contact our experienced team on 0116 254 7456 or email: enquiries@moosaduke.com. You can also enquire online by clicking here.
We specialise in claims involving cancer, maternity, and cauda equina syndrome. For more information about cauda equina syndrome, please visit the Cauda Equina Awareness website.
