What is Martha's Rule? The landmark patient safety initiative that could shape Leeds maternity review

A landmark patient safety initiative will be rolled out to all maternity settings after a review of maternity care found serious and sustained failures.

Martha’s rule will give parents the right to ask for an urgent review from a different medical team if they are concerned a baby’s or a mother's condition is deteriorating, and the appropriate action is not being taken.

It comes after the publication of Donna Ockenden’s review into maternity services in Nottingham, which found serious and sustained failures.

An independent review of maternity and neonatal services, chaired by Ockenden, is set to take place at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust later this year, following concerns raised by families about maternity care in Leeds.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care James Murray said: "Last week I met with the families in Nottingham and heard first-hand about the devastating loss they have suffered, often caused by horrendous care they received on the NHS.

“Donna Ockenden’s review lays bare a culture where too many voices went unheard, too many opportunities to prevent harm were missed, and too many lives were lost. That’s why we have to take action, and quickly.

"No family should ever have to battle the system that is meant to care and protect them. That is why Martha’s Rule is so fundamental. It provides a way for a concerned mum or family member to raise the alarm before it is too late.”

What is Martha’s Rule?

Martha’s Rule is named after Martha Mills, who died in 2021 at age 13 after developing sepsis. She had been admitted to the hospital with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike.

Her family’s concerns about her deteriorating health condition were not addressed, and in 2023, a coroner ruled that Martha would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.

How can it help patients?

Martha’s Rule gives patients, their families and carers the right to ask for an urgent review from a different medical team if they are concerned their loved one’s condition is deteriorating, and the appropriate action is not being taken.

How to contact your hospital’s Martha’s Rule scheme

There is no single contact number for Martha’s Rule; each hospital has its own dedicated phone number for patients, families and staff to call. To find the number for your hospital, please check the hospital website, look for posters outlining Martha’s Rule, or ask a member of staff.

You can find out more information about Martha’s Rule and how to access the scheme at NHS.UK.