Martha’s Rule: Detecting Deterioration
You know yourself or your loved one best.
If you think something is wrong or getting worse, please tell us. You can use Martha’s Rule to do this.
What is Martha’s Rule?
Martha’s Rule helps us notice when someone in hospital might be getting worse.
It gives you the right to ask for a quick check if you’re worried about yours or your loved one’s health.
You might see small changes before we do. These could be early signs that something is wrong.
Martha’s Rule means you can get an urgent review if yours or your loved one’s condition gets worse.
A second opinion is when you see another consultant to discuss a diagnosis or treatment.
Martha Mills was 13 years old. She died in 2021 after getting very sick in hospital. She had suffered an injury after falling off her bike.
Her family told the doctors she was getting worse, but no one acted in time. A coroner later ruled she might have lived if she had been moved to intensive care earlier.
Click here for more information about Martha’s Rule.
In hospital, we check people’s health often. This includes their vital signs and other measurements. We look at things like heart rate, breathing and temperature.
How often we check depends on how sick the person is. Sometimes we might need to wake someone up to do these checks.
We also ask every day if the person feels better or worse.
