Martha's Rule expanded to every A&E department in England

NHS England is expanding Martha's Rule to all emergency departments, letting patients, families and staff trigger an urgent review of care.

• NHS England announced the expansion of Martha's Rule to every A&E department, following an eight-month pilot at seven trusts.
• The rule is named after Martha Mills, who died aged 13 in 2021; a coroner found she would probably have survived if moved to intensive care.
• Prof Aidan Fowler of NHS England said Martha's rule can work well in busy A&Es, with thousands of calls made to date.
• NHS data showed 1,678 calls under Martha's rule in July 2026, the highest monthly total since the system was introduced.