Royal Bolton Hospital adopts new NHS 'Martha's Rule'

This comes after the NHS announced that 143 hospitals around the country, Minerva Road based Royal Bolton amongst them, will be adopting “Martha’s Rule.”

Named after 13-year-old Martha Mills, who died at King’s College Hospital in 2021, the rule will give parents and families the right ask for urgent reviews if they feel their loved one's conditions are deteriorating. 

Martha’s parents, Merope Mills and Paul Laity, said: "We are pleased that the roll-out of Martha's Rule is off to a flying start and that the need for it has been so widely recognised.

“It will save lives and encourage better, more open, communication on hospital wards, so that patients feel they are listened to, and partners in their healthcare."

Martha Mills died at the age of 13 (Image: Mills/Laity family photograph/PA)

Martha died after suffering a pancreatic injury after a fall from her bike and after her parents Ms Mills and Mr Laity raised concerns about her health several times, which were not responded to.

A coroner later ruled the 13-year-old would most likely have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs of her rapidly deteriorating condition earlier.

After their daughter’s death, Ms Mills and Mr Laity campaigned for a single system that would allow families to trigger an urgent clinical review from a different team in the hospital.

In February this year, the NHS announced that its funding for this financial year would include rolling out Martha’s Rule in 143 hospital sites.

This will mean that there will be a consistent and understandable way for patients and their families to seek an urgent review if their or their loved one’s condition deteriorates.

This will come into effect if they feel they are not being listened to.

Royal Bolton Hospital (Image: Bolton NHS Foundation Trust)

NHS England says it is now working with Martha’s parents to advertise and explain the move in hospitals all over the country.

NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “Rolling out Martha’s Rule to over 143 NHS sites in this first phase will represent one of the most important changes to patient care in recent years.

"And we are pleased to have seen such interest from hospitals right across the country, all thanks to the moving and dedicated campaigning by Martha’ parents, Merope and Paul.

“That is why today is such an important milestone, with the NHS outlining the 143 sites where this major patient safety initiative will be rolled out later this year, allowing staff, patients and families to immediately raise concerns and bring about an escalation in care in an easily recognisable and fast way.

“The inclusion of daily insights from families about their loved ones’ condition within patient records is also a really significant step and will help staff identify changes and deterioration using insights from those who know the patient best.

“While thankfully the need for escalation of care will hopefully only be needed in a limited number of cases, this three-step safety net has the opportunity to truly transform patient care and safety.”

The first phase of the programme is expected to be in place in the 143 hospitals, including Royal Bolton by March next year.

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How the rule evolves over the next year will then inform how the initiative is rolled out at all acute hospitals across the country, subject to government funding.

NHS national patient safety director Dr Aidan Fowler said: “Working closely with Martha’s parents and colleagues across the NHS over the last few months on this rollout, I am in no doubt this programme will deliver clear change.

"And it has been so encouraging to see how many hospitals have shown interest in being part of delivering these all-important patient safety measures this year.

“With new processes that enable both patients and staff to raise concerns if they see someone’s condition worsening, and the inclusion of patients and their loved ones’ insights in medical records, these measures can help us better identify and manage deterioration as part of wider work, which is a key priority for us and will no doubt lead to improvements in the care patients receive.”