Healthwatch Swindon is asking local residents to share their views on a national patient safety initiative known as Martha’s Rule. The organisation launched a survey on 6 May 2026 to understand how much people know about the right to an urgent second opinion and to determine the best way to share this information across the town.
Martha’s Rule was established in memory of 13-year-old Martha Mills, who died in 2021 after developing sepsis while in hospital. A coroner later concluded that Martha would likely have survived if she had been transferred to intensive care sooner, noting that her family’s repeated concerns about her worsening condition were not acted upon by staff. The initiative now allows patients, families, and carers to request a rapid review from a critical care team if they feel a patient’s health is declining and their initial concerns are being ignored.
Nationally, the programme has already had a significant impact since it began in April 2024. Between September 2024 and February 2026, helplines received over 12,000 calls, resulting in more than 500 patients being transferred to intensive care or specialist units. Despite these figures, recent data shows that only 32% of the public are aware of the service, which is why local groups are stepping up efforts to raise awareness.
In Swindon, the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is among the hospitals required to implement the full process by 31 March 2027. Residents who wish to help shape how this safety right is communicated in their local healthcare settings can find more information and participate in the study by completing the short survey published by Healthwatch Swindon.
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