You might remember the heartbreaking story of Martha Mills, who died aged 13 after developing sepsis following an injury sustained during a bike ride.
Martha was admitted to hospital with pancreatic injury as a result of the end of her bike’s handlebar hitting into her stomach.
Per the BBC, her family’s concerns over her deterioration in hospital were not listened to, and – following her death – a coroner ruled that had she been referred promptly and appropriately treated, the “likelihood is that she would have survived her injuries”.
Her parents, Merope and Paul, later campaigned for a new rule whereby loved ones could flag concerns and trigger an urgent review if a patient’s condition deteriorated and they were concerned they weren’t being listened to by medical professionals.
This rule, dubbed Martha’s Rule, is now being rolled out across all NHS hospital A&E departments, wit...
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