BBC NEWS article by Anna Lamche See link for full article:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cndd41p5g82o
An initiative allowing rapidly deteriorating patients and their families to seek a second opinion will play a role in “changing the culture of the NHS”, Merope Mills has said.
Ms Mills began her campaign for “Martha’s rule” after her daughter Martha, 13, died of sepsis in 2021.
Speaking on BBC R4’s Today programme, Ms Mills said it was “encouraging” to see 143 NHS hospitals sign up to the scheme.
The rule change will challenge a “culture of deference” towards doctors in some hospitals, Ms Mills said.
Martha’s rule will allow patients and families to seek an urgent review if their condition, or the condition of a loved one, is deteriorating and they feel their concerns are not being listened to.
They will be able to call an internal phone number and request a second opinion from a critical care outreach team.
Clinicians will also record daily insights and information about a patient’s health directly from their families.
“We hope it will do an immense amount of good by improving communication and encouraging doctors just to be more open and to listen to patients more carefully,” Ms Mills said.