Martha’s Rule: Your Right to Be Heard
At Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, one of our core values is “Listening over always knowing best” and we pride ourselves on listening to our patients, and their relatives, carers or advocates.
In line with this, we have launched Martha’s Rule, an important new patient safety initiative, at our two hospitals - Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich and University Hospital Lewisham.
Martha’s Rule is named for Martha Mills, who tragically died after developing sepsis in hospital and her parents concerns about her rapidly worsening condition were not promptly responded to by the team caring for her.
Our nurses and doctors monitor all patients closely throughout their admission and stay for signs of patient deterioration. However, you are best placed to tell us if a condition is rapidly worsening rather than improving, so always want to know if you or your relatives, carers or advocates have any immediate concerns of your own. This is why we have introduced Martha’s Rule.
It is designed to ensure that inpatients and their families have the right to be heard and that any concerns about a rapidly worsening health condition are listened to and promptly acted on.
Through Martha’s Rule, you are empowered to take action if you feel that your condition, or that of a loved one, is rapidly worsening, which is something we call deterioration. You can do this through the team of Doctors, Nurses and Healthcare Support Workers on your ward.
However, if your concerns are not being addressed, you can call a dedicated number and raise your worries with a member of our Critical Care Outreach Team.
It’s based on three Rs that help you to remember what you can do as a patient and what we will do if you call us:
1. Recognise: Notice any worrying changes in condition, such as increased breathing rate, changes in confusion, unusual behaviour, or physical symptoms like not eating or drinking
2. Request: If you notice these changes, please speak to the ward team first. If this doesn’t help, request a rapid review from the critical care outreach team. You can do this by calling the Martha’s Rule number. This can be done at any time, day or night.
3. Review: Once you call the Martha’s Rule number for a rapid review, a Critical Care Outreach Practitioner will ask for some key information. They will need to know the patient’s name and ward location, as well as your immediate concern. They will then assess the situation and take any necessary action.
Martha’s Rule ensures that your voice is heard and that you receive the best possible care. It is designed to prevent avoidable tragedies and improve patient safety. Should you need to call us, our Martha’s rule numbers are:
University Hospital Lewisham: 07899 115 243
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich: 07350 425 289
We really hope that you won’t need to activate Martha’s Rule if you are in hospital with us, but if you do, remember, your voice matters. Martha’s Rule empowers you to ensure that your concerns are taken seriously, helping us provide the best care possible.
Listen to Doctor Richard Breeze talk through what Martha’s Rule means for our patients: