Full Breakdown
NHS Expands Martha’s Rule to All Emergency Departments in England
By Drooid · · How we work
Nationwide Rollout
The NHS is extending Martha’s Rule – a patient-safety helpline that enables patients, families and staff to request an urgent review of care – to every hospital emergency department (A&E) across England. The expansion follows a successful eight-month pilot in seven trusts and will be completed by March 2028. A dedicated phone number will allow anyone who believes a patient’s condition is deteriorating to trigger a rapid review, mirroring the system already in place on inpatient wards and, since June 2026, in maternity and neonatal units.
Background and Origin
Martha Mills, 13, died in 2021 from sepsis after a bicycle accident at King’s College Hospital in London. A coroner concluded she likely would have survived had she been transferred to intensive care when her condition worsened. Her parents, Merope Mills and Paul Laity, campaigned for a formal mechanism to ensure concerns are heard, resulting in the creation of Martha’s Rule. The scheme was introduced nationally on adult and children’s wards in 2024 and later expanded to maternity and neonatal units.
Impact Data
In the first 16 months after its 2024 launch, the helpline recorded more than 10,000 calls, which NHS England says potentially saved 446 lives. During the A&E pilot, 69 calls led to urgent surgery or intensive-care transfers. The latest monthly total, for July 2026, reached 1,678 calls, the highest since the system began.
Official Statements & Responses
Prof Aidan Fowler, director of patient safety at NHS England, emphasized that A&Es treat some of the most vulnerable patients and that rapid reviews are “essential” for improving safety. Matthew Hopkins, acute and ambulance director at the NHS Alliance, noted that NHS leaders support the rollout as a way to give patients, families and staff a clear avenue to raise concerns. Health minister Gillian Merron framed the expansion as part of broader efforts to place patient safety at the heart of the NHS.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This will enhance the safety of care and will provide reassurance for patients and their families if there are concerns that the patient’s condition is getting worse.” — Gillian Merron, a health minister