Call 4 Concern - Martha's Rule
A new phoneline is being launched by the Trust for all patients, as well as their families and friends, to further highlight when someone’s condition in hospital might be getting worse.
Call 4 Concern, the confidential phoneline - 01923 844448 - will be open to those who are worried about their own condition as an inpatient, or that of a relative or friend admitted to hospital.
The patient safety service, which will be available for adults, children and neonates, is amongst a suite of measures in place for patients admitted to receive care in our facilities.
It is particularly useful for those patients (and their relatives) whose condition may be getting worse but feel their concerns are not being heard or acted upon by clinical staff.
This complements the other safety initiatives already in place at the hospital.
The service will be inclusive of all patients, regardless of language and will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Call 4 Concern is in line with ‘Martha’s Rule’, which is being rolled out widely by the NHS in England from April 2024 to give patients and families access to an urgent review if they are worried about a condition getting worse.
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 promptly and in 2023 a coroner ruled that Martha would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.
What patients can expect from the Call 4 Concern Clinical Team
- 24 hour access to a highly trained clinician who can prioritise a patient's call and act upon concerns in a timely manner.
- A senior clinician who will work with the patient and their family to ensure the best health outcomes for specific health concerns.
- The clinician will visit the patient on the ward as soon as practical, complete a physical assessment, review the clinical documentation and then act on their findings to get the best outcome for the patient.
Actions may include:
- Refer the patient to higher levels of care such as high dependency or intensive care ward for further specialist opinions and support.
- Have further discussions with the ward team and initiate treatment changes and investigations to try and improve the patient's condition.