Martha's Rule expanded to all England A&E departments

NHS England has announced the expansion of Martha's Rule to every accident and emergency department in England, a patient safety initiative designed to allow urgent clinical reviews when concerns about deteriorating health are not being addressed. The system, which gives patients, families, and staff the right to request a rapid review of care, is being extended from hospital wards to emergency settings, including waiting rooms. The expansion follows a successful pilot program and builds on the rule's implementation across inpatient wards and maternity units. In its first 16 months, the scheme's dedicated helplines received more than 10,000 calls, with official figures indicating it has potentially saved 446 lives. Thousands of patients were moved to intensive care, received necessary medication, or benefited from other treatment changes as a direct result of these calls. A phased rollout to all A&E departments is scheduled for completion by March 2028. This follows an eight-month pilot across seven NHS trusts, during which 69 calls were made to the helpline. Some patients in the pilot subsequently underwent urgent surgery or were transferred to intensive care.