Call for Concern

Call for Concern is a patient safety service for adult inpatients, children and young people, families and friends to call for help and advice if they or their family are concerned that there is a noticeable change or deterioration in their condition, and they are concerned this is not being responded to.

Barts Health is part of the 143 hospitals to pilot the implementation of Martha’s Rule. Please beware that not all wards are able to offer Call for Concern currently.

Call for Concern, also known as Martha’s Rule is comprised of three components to ensure concerns about deterioration can be swiftly responded to.

1. An escalation process will be available 24/7 within particpating wards,enabling patients and families to contact a clincal team that can swiftly assess a case and esccalate care if necessary.

2. NHS colleagues will also have access to this same process if they have concerns about a patients condition.

3. Clinicians in participating wards will also formally record daily insights and information about a patient's health directly from thier families, ensuring any concerning changes in behaviou or condition noticed by the people who know the patient best are considered by staff.

When should you use Call for Concern

• When there is a significant change in the patient’s condition and, after a discussion with the health care team, concerns have not been addressed
• When it is not clear what the plan is for the patient following a discussion with the health care team.

What happens next?

Once contacted, the team may provide advice over the phone or, depending on the issue, they will visit the ward to discuss your concerns further. Read more in our Call for Concern patient information leaflet.

When not to use Call for Concern

Call for Concern is a patient safety service.

This service should not be used to report general problems regarding a patient’s care, for example, issues with the hospital bed, room, food, parking etc. Please read the different ways you can share feedback or raise more general issues.