In May 2024, NHS England announced that 143 hospital sites would be taking part in the rollout Martha’s Rule. Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust which runs King’s Mill Hospital, has opted to be part of the first group of hospitals across the country to implement the scheme.
Martha’s Rule is named after 13-year-old Martha Mills, who died from sepsis in 2021 after her family had raised repeated concerns regarding her deteriorating condition.
The scheme is part of a plan to improve patient safety. This will allow hospital patients and their families to seek a second opinion on their treatment.
Once the scheme has been fully implemented, NHS hospitals, patients, and their families will be able to access a review by a separate care team, if they become concerned about someone’s condition and about the course of treatment.
A report to the Trust’s board, discussed on Thursday, July 4, said:
“The purpose of Martha’s Rule is to provide a consistent and understandable way for patients and families to seek an urgent review if their or their loved one’s condition deteriorates and they are concerned this is not being responded to.”
The Trust is aiming to roll out the scheme by Autumn 2024.
Around half of eligible hospitals in England are included in the first roll-out.
Comment
This is an encouraging step for patients and their families to know that the treatment proposed can be reviewed by a separate team if they feel concerned about the treatment a patient is receiving or their families become concerned about their loved one’s condition and the course of treatment proposed.
If you have any concerns about the treatment you have received, or an injury you have suffered, Nelsons have a team of expert clinical negligence lawyers who are skilled in the assessment of claims for compensation.
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Helen Wilkinson is a Paralegal in our expert Medical Negligence team, which has been ranked in tier one by the independently researched publication, The Legal 500.
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with Helen or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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