NHS England revealed last month that, since its introduction, Martha’s Rule has prompted over 10,000 calls to its helpline.
This staggering figure over a 16 month period prompted over 400 ‘potentially life-saving interventions’ and identified over 3,000 cases of acute deterioration in a patient’s condition.
The National Director of Patient Safety is quoted as saying that ‘Martha’s Rule is already helping to save lives.’
The new initiative identifies ‘the right for patients, families and carers to request a rapid review if they are worried that a patient’s condition is getting worse and their concerns are not being responded to.’ It further ensures a structured process for eliciting the patient’s views on their condition on a daily basis.
The idea underpinning this rule is that the patient and those closest to them best understand the patient and may more clearly identify when their condition is deteriorating.
As awareness of this rule increases, it is to be hoped that more patients will benefit from the processes and rights which it provides.
Unfortunately, in busy hospital environments, changes in a patient’s condition are sometimes missed by the professionals whose job is to care for them.
Occasionally, the degree of deterioration and the resulting complications can be life-changing and even life-threatening.
When this occurs, the patient or their loved ones may be entitled to claim compensation for the outcome of the failing in medical care.
If this distressing situation has occurred to you or a loved one, speak to a medical negligence legal specialist about the possibility of making a claim for the impact of negligent care and the financial losses which it has caused.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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