More than 400 lives may have been saved as a result of Martha’s rule, the NHS scheme that allows patients to request a review of their care, according to official figures. The helplines received more than 10,000 calls in the first 16 months after the scheme was introduced in England in 2024.
The system is named after Martha Mills, a 13-year-old who died from sepsis in 2021 after a bicycle accident. A coroner concluded she would probably have survived if she had been moved to intensive care sooner. The data, seen by the Guardian, shows that between September 2024 and December 2025, 10,119 calls were made by patients, relatives or staff worried about care, leading to 446 people receiving improvements that may have saved their life.
One in three calls (3,457) identified a rapid worsening of a patient's condition, enabling quicker interventions. The NHS England data also shows that 1,885 patients had their treatment changed as a result. Additionally, around 6,000 calls addressed clinical, communication or coordination concerns, leading to meaningful improvements in care or navigating the healthcare system.
The scheme, now operational in every acute hospital in England, gives patients, loved ones and NHS staff the right to ask for a different medical team to examine the care being provided. Aidan Fowler, NHS England's director of patient safety, said: “Martha’s rule is already helping to save lives and transform the culture of the NHS.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the scheme was making sure the NHS listens to patients and their families when it matters most. Martha's mother, Merope Mills, a senior editor at the Guardian, called for the rule's thorough implementation in maternity departments and its rapid introduction in Wales and Scotland.
