In this section
Martha’s Rule for Children and Young People
My child is unwell, talk to us
You know your child better than anyone and may notice small changes before we detect them. Tell us about these changes
Step 1: Speak to Sister, Chat to charge nurse
If you feel your child is getting worse and are not being listened to
Step 2: Contact the Children’s Critical Care Outreach Team for help
Ring 07483 107 534 or click here to start a WhatsApp conversation.
What is Martha’s Rule?
We have introduced Martha’s Rule to help spot signs of deterioration early. This is done by recognising that parents and carers know their child best, and may have important knowledge that we have not yet identified. You may notice small changes before they show up in our routine measurements and these changes could be early warning signs of deterioration.
Martha’s Rule allows you to request a rapid review if you are worried that your child is getting worse or your concerns, about deterioration, are not being listened to.
What to expect
The Children’s Critical Care Outreach nurse will attend, listen to your concerns, review your child and liaise with the medical teams to support any changes that may be needed. They cannot support complaints or concerns that are not about deterioration, please speak to your child’s nurse or ward nurse in charge.
How we monitor patients
While someone is in hospital, we regularly check their vital signs and other important health measurements. As part of Martha’s Rule, we have introduced Patient Wellness Questions into our routine checks. We will ask you or your loved one if you are feeling better or worse, at least once a day. This will help us to identify patients that are having unexpected changes or are deteriorating.
About Martha
Martha Mills died in 2021 after developing sepsis in hospital, where she had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike. Martha’s family’s concerns about her deteriorating condition were not responded to, and in 2023 a coroner ruled that Martha, aged 13, would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.