13: Martha's Rule

In this episode, Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria Programme Manager Paula Elliott, leads a discussion on Martha's Rule and how we have supported the implementation of this major Patient Safety initiative across NHS Trusts in the North East and North Cumbria.

In May 2024, NHS England announced the implementation of Martha’s Rule across 143 pilot sites across the country. From April 2025 this was expanded to additional sites, including community, maternity and neonatal settings, emergency departments and mental health. This is part of a wider programme of work to improve the management of deterioration, incorporating work to improve prevention, identification, escalation and response to acute deterioration.

Our Patient Safety Collaborative is supporting the implementation of Martha’s Rule pilot sites across the North East and North Cumbria (phases 1 and 2) and in collaboration with UCLP, leading on the implementation of Martha’s Rule into maternity and neonatal settings nationally.

Resources
Find out more about Martha's Rule at:
NHS England » Martha’s Rule
Managing Deterioration and Martha's Rule Programme - National Deterioration Forum - Futures

Find out more about our Managing Deterioration Improvement Programme:
Patient Safety Collaborative