Throughout Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital you will see posters and information about how to escalate concerns, using Martha’s Rule, if your child’s condition is getting worse. When your child is admitted to Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital or attends the Children’s Assessment and Treatment (CAT) Unit you will also receive a text message about Martha’s Rule which contains a link to this webpage for further information.
Martha’s Rule is a patient safety initiative that allows anyone, including patients, families and carers to request a rapid review for a patient currently being cared for in Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital.
What do I do if I am worried my child is getting worse?
The first step you should take is to raise your concerns to the nurses and doctors involved in their care. If you feel that your child’s condition is getting worse and you still have concerns, you can request a review via Martha’s Rule. Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Inpatient Outreach Nursing Service (LIONS) respond to all Martha’s Rule requests.
Parents and carers can request a Martha’s Rule review by calling or texting: 07920291731
When should I call?
You can call or text if you are worried that your child is becoming more unwell or not improving as you expect.
As a parent or carer you may notice that the child seems different to their normal self before anyone else does. Please raise these concerns – the team are here to listen and want to respond quickly and effectively.
LIONS – Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Inpatient Outreach Nursing Service
LIONS is our paediatric outreach service working within Ä¢¹½tvÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital to support staff and parents caring for the sickest children across all wards and departments.
For more information about LIONS please click here.
Martha’s Rule on the Neonatal Unit
The first step you should take is to raise your concerns to the nurses and doctors involved in your baby’s care. If you feel that your baby’s condition is getting worse and you still have concerns, you can request a review via Martha’s Rule.
Parents and carers on the Neonatal Unit can request a Martha’s Rule review by calling: 01133920953
Additional contact information
If you would like to discuss any other aspect of your child or your baby’s care, please speak to the Ward Team. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is also available to support patients, carers and relatives who wish to raise concerns or share compliments.