Following the death of 13-year-old Martha Mills – who developed sepsis in hospital but warning signs were missed by medics – Britain’s Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, is considering introducing “Martha’s Rule” to make it easier for patients and their families to get a second medical opinion.
Barclay told Parliament this week that he had asked his department and the NHS to look at whether it could implement the measures in a bid to improve patient safety.
His remarks came after the parents of Mills, who died after doctors failed to admit her to intensive care, called for changes named in her memory, reports The Telegraph.
Mills, who would have turned 16 on Monday, died after developing sepsis while under the care of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London.
A coroner ruled last year that she would most probably have survived if doctors had identified the warning signs and transferred her to intensive care earlier.
The girl was admitted to King’s after suffering a pancreatic injury from a bicycle fall. King’s is a specialist national referral centre for children with pancreatic problems.
An inquest heard there were several opportunities to refer her to intensive care but this did not happen. The trust has since apologised for mistakes in caring for her.
The teenager’s mother, Merope Mills, said she and her husband Paul Laity had raised concerns about their daughter’s deteriorating health a number of times but these were not acted upon.
At one point, she had begun to bleed heavily through a tube inserted into her upper arm and through a drainage tube.
She also developed a rash, with her mother telling staff that she was afraid the teenager might go into septic shock over a long weekend.
The couple is calling for Martha’s Rule to give patients, families and carers the chance to easily request a second opinion from a senior doctor in the same hospital in the event of a suspected deterioration or serious concern.
Barclay told the House of Commons: “We’re exploring introducing Martha’s Rule to the UK. It would be similar to the Queensland system called Ryan’s Rule – a three-step process allowing patients or their families for a clinical review of their case from a doctor or a nurse if their condition is deteriorating or not improving as expected.
“Ryan’s Rule has saved lives in Queensland and I’ve asked my department and the NHS to look into whether similar measures could improve patient safety here in the UK.”
“If a patient and family escalation system such as Martha’s Rule had existed – and had been clearly advertised around the hospital with posters and stickers – I’m sure I would have used it and it could well have saved Martha’s life,” said her mother.
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