Every GP practice in England is now displaying a powerful new reminder for doctors to reconsider their assumptions when a patient's symptoms persist. Posters promoting 'Jess's rule' have been sent to all 6,170 general practices across the country in a major patient safety drive.
What is Jess's Rule?
The initiative, named in memory of Jessica Brady, a 27-year-old engineer who died from cancer in 2020, is designed to prevent serious illnesses from being overlooked. The rule formally urges family doctors to take a fresh look at a case if a patient has attended three appointments with the same unresolved symptoms.
In such situations, clinicians are prompted to consider a range of actions. This includes seeking a second opinion from a colleague, conducting a comprehensive face-to-face physical examination, or ordering further diagnostic tests. The system was initially launched in September, but the nationwide poster campaign aims to embed the principle into everyday practice.
A Campaign Born from Tragedy
Jessica Brady's story is the driving force behind the rule. In the six months before her death, she contacted her GP surgery around 20 times, reporting symptoms including abdominal pain, coughing, vomiting, and significant weight loss.
During the pandemic, she was largely offered virtual appointments and was prescribed medications including antibiotics and steroids. She was also told she might be suffering from long Covid. A diagnosis of widespread cancer came only after her mother, Andrea Brady, paid for a private consultation. Jessica died in hospital just three weeks later.
Her parents, Andrea and Simon Brady, co-designed the new posters with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. Andrea stated that the charity established in her daughter's name, the Jessica Brady Cedar Trust, has been "heartened" by the positive response from surgeries adopting the "three strikes and we rethink" approach.
Official Backing and Professional Support
Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasised the rule's importance, stating: "Every patient deserves to be heard, and every serious illness deserves to be caught early. Jess's rule makes that possible, reminding clinicians to take a fresh look when symptoms persist and empowering patients to speak up about their care."
Alongside the posters, GP surgeries have received a joint letter from Streeting and NHS England's national medical director, Dr Claire Fuller, reinforcing the message. Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, supported the move, noting Jessica's story serves as "an important reminder that sometimes a rare diagnosis could be the right diagnosis."
The government believes this visual reminder in every practice will boost safety by ensuring GPs consistently rethink initial assumptions. For millions of patients in England, it also provides a formal framework to encourage them to ask for a review of their case if they feel their health concerns are not being resolved.
