The news comes on what would have been Martha Mills’ 18th birthday.
Today (4th September) health service bosses announced Martha’s rule – a safety initiative which allows NHS patients to request a review of their care – is now in operation in every acute hospital in England. The rollout began in 2024 when 143 hospitals launched the system, but today’s announcement brings the total to all 210 facilities in the country.
The rule is named after Martha Mills, who tragically lost her life at the age of 13 in 2021 from sepsis following a bicycle accident. A coroner found she probably would have survived if she had been moved to the intensive care unit at King’s College hospital when her health began deteriorating.
Martha’s parents, Merope Mills and Paul Laity persuaded ministers and NHS bosses to adopt the system. Commenting on today’s news, they said: ‘It would be Martha’s 18th birthday today, another milestone she has missed as a result of poor care and hospital errors that led to her unnecessary death.
‘We feel her absence every day. But at least Martha’s rule is already preventing many families from experiencing something similar.’
To give context, between September 2024 and June 2025 Martha’s rule helplines in hospitals received over 4,800 calls from patients, staff or loved ones who were worried about their care. This led to 214 people receiving improvements that could have saved their life.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Martha’s parents have ‘created a lasting legacy that is already having a potentially life-saving impact across England’.
Alongside helping people in England, Martha’s rule has encouraged other UK countries to introduce a similar system. The Welsh Government is looking to introduce a scheme called Call4Concern which is expected to be implemented by the end of 2026.
Image: Photo by Graham Ruttan via UnSplash
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