MORE THAN 140 hospitals will test and roll out Martha’s Rule in its first year, NHS England announced today.

The rule will allow patients and families to seek a second opinion if they feel their condition, or the condition of a loved one, is deteriorating and they are not being listened to.

It follows the death of 13-year-old Martha Mills, who developed sepsis after suffering a pancreatic injury following a fall from her bike, in 2021.

The escalation process will be available 24/7 at all 143 sites by March 2025, with an internal phone number advertised on posters and leaflets available in all hospitals.

Martha’s parents, Merope Mills and Paul Laity, raised concerns about their daughter’s health several times but these were brushed aside.

A coroner ruled she would most likely have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs of her rapidly deteriorating condition and transferred her to intensive care earlier.

In the wake of her death, her parents campaigned extensively for a single system that would allow families to trigger an urgent clinical review from a different team in the hospital.

Welcoming the news today, Martha’s parents said the policy would “save lives.”

“We are pleased that the rollout of Martha’s Rule is off to a flying start and that the need for it has been so widely recognised,” they said.

“It will save lives and encourage better, more open communication on hospital wards, so that patients feel they are listened to, and partners in their healthcare.”

NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery also welcomed the initiative, saying it will help service leaders improve learning culture in care.

NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said the policy would represent “one of the most important changes to patient care in years.”