Martha's rule
Sometimes, patients or their loved ones can spot very early signs that someone is getting worse before it becomes clear to healthcare professionals.
If this happens to you or a loved one, speak to a doctor or nurse on the ward as soon as you can.
If you’re still worried after you’ve spoken to the ward team, use our Martha's rule service to speak to a senior nurse in our critical care outreach team.
When to use our Martha's rule service
Our Martha's rule service allows you or your loved ones to contact a senior nurse if you’re:
- an inpatient and
- think that your condition might be getting worse and
- have already talked to your ward team but are worried that they might not have recognised that you’re getting worse.
You can also use our Martha's rule service if you're a relative or carer of someone receiving inpatient care.
You may have previously heard Martha's rule described as Call for concern.
Contacting our Martha's rule service
Contact our call for concern service at:
- Central Middlesex Hospital on 07773 222 580
- Ealing Hospital on 07800 513 979
- Northwick Park Hospital on 07388 857 767
The service is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Using our Martha's rule service
If you use our Martha's rule phoneline, you’ll speak to a senior nurse in our critical care outreach team.
They will ask you these questions:
- Where are you calling from and who are you concerned about?
- What are you most concerned about right now?
- Are there any other healthcare staff on the ward who can help you until I can get to see you or the patient?
The nurse will tell you more about what will happen next. They will also ask you to talk to a doctor or nurse on the ward immediately if you or the person you’re worried about gets any worse.
In rare situations, such as if the team are dealing with an emergency, you may not be able to get through straight away. If this happens, wait a short period of time, then call back.
Other types of concern
Our Martha's rule service is only for situations where you think your condition, or your loved one’s condition, is getting worse.
You can always speak to your ward team if you’re worried about something else – whether that’s about your care or not.
If you’ve spoken to your ward team but still need advice or help, get in touch with our patient advice and liaison service.