The Government will back Martha’s Government, a campaign to give families and patients the right to a second opinion if they feel their concerns are being ignored, officials confirmed today.
Martha Mills died in hospital in 2021 after developing sepsis, and a coroner ruled that she could have survived if doctors had moved her to intensive care sooner.
The 13-year-old girl’s death, which occurred after a holiday weekend, came despite her parents’ concerns about her condition at the time, and doctors ignored them and instead tried to ” control them”.
In response to her death, her family has called for Martha’s rule to be implemented across the health service.
I would see patients, parents and carers have the right to an urgent second opinion if they feel serious concerns are not being addressed.
Martha Mills (pictured) died in hospital in 2021 after developing sepsis and a coroner ruled she could have survived if doctors had moved her to intensive care sooner. Her death, which occurred after a holiday weekend, came despite concerns from the 13-year-old girl’s parents about her condition at the time, and doctors ignored them and instead treated to “control” them.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay confirmed today that ministers are “committed” to implementing the rule, insisting the arguments in favor of it are “compelling”. NHS England will now begin work to implement it, he said.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay confirmed today that ministers are “committed” to implementing the rule, insisting the arguments in favor of it are “compelling”.
NHS England will now begin work to implement it, he said.
Martha’s mother, Merope Mills, editor of The Guardian, said she and her husband, Paul Laity, raised concerns about Martha’s deteriorating health several times, but no action was taken.
The teenager was being treated at King’s University Hospital National Health Service Trust Foundation in the South London after suffering an injury to his pancreas following a bicycle accident during a family holiday in Wales.
But after spending weeks in the ward, he developed an infection.
Martha’s condition worsened daily and she developed signs of sepsis, a life-threatening overreaction to an infection in which the body’s immune system begins to damage tissues and organs.
While her mother expressed concern to NHS staff that the young woman was going into septic shock over the August bank holiday weekend, her warnings were dismissed.
Then Martha died in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The doctors who treated her had not attended optional sepsis training and were unable to transfer her to intensive care.
One of the trust’s own intensive care doctors later told Martha’s inquest that if he had seen her he would have admitted her “100 per cent”.
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has since apologized for errors in its care.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Barclay said he made the decision after a meeting with Mills on Wednesday.
He said: ‘For everyone who has heard it, it is an absolutely heartbreaking case.
“I’m determined to make sure we learn the lessons from that and I’m looking forward to learning from international best practice.”
The ‘Ryan Rule’ was introduced in hospitals in Queensland, Australia, after Ryan Saunders, who was just two years old, died in 2007 from toxic shock syndrome triggered by an undetected streptococcal infection.
Barclay said there are “international lessons”, particularly Australia, that could be learned by giving patients a direct line to a second opinion.
He added: ‘In particular, I want to give much more credence to the voice of patients.
“I think a key part of this measure is ensuring that patients feel heard and can get a second opinion.”
While it’s not known how quickly the standard will be implemented, he told the Today show: “There is scope for us to move much faster in terms of pediatrics and ensure, particularly in that area, that we adopt quickly.”
The rule should be applied in a way “that is easy to communicate to patients rather than having many different schemes across the country”, he added.
Martha’s mother, Merope Mills, pictured, said she and her husband, Paul Laity, expressed concern about Martha’s deteriorating health several times, but no action was taken.
He said he had asked Henrietta Hughes, the government’s patient safety commissioner, to work with NHS England to examine the proposals and draw on evidence from NHS trusts where plans already exist.
In a statement posted on England.
‘He is prioritizing its introduction and is willing to allocate funds to the initiative.
“It will be a standardized and recognizable right that will become part of the patient experience in the hospital wards.”
He added: ‘A team has been appointed to work on the implementation; We appreciate Stephen Barclay’s commitment to working quickly to make Martha’s government happen as soon as possible.
‘Our incredible daughter Martha lost her life unnecessarily, at too young a age.
“We hope this new rule puts some power back in the hands of patients and prevents unnecessary deaths.”
It comes as NHS England’s medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, also said on Monday the change was necessary.
“The voice of the patient and their families is essential,” said the medical director.
“Over the last six months, we at NHS England have been working with a number of hospitals across England to determine what kind of methodologies, what kind of processes will ensure that voice is heard when it is needed.”
