Call for Concern Martha’s Rule
Date issued: April 2025
For review: April 2027
D-437/JT PH/Acute Care Team/Call for Concern Martha's Rule
PDF: Call for Concern Martha's Rule final April 2025.pdf [pdf] 255KB
Call for Concern
This leaflet provides information that may help you or your relative during their stay in hospital. If you feel suddenly unwell, call for help from your ward team immediately.
What is Call for concern?
Call for concern is a patient safety service for inpatients and their families. You, a relative or carer can call for urgent help and advice if you have concerns about their condition that have not been answered by the ward team. This service is also known as ‘Martha’s Rule’.
Who is Call for Concern?
This service is delivered by the Acute Care Team, a 24 hour-a-day critical care outreach service of specialist nurses. We can offer advice over the telephone or come to the ward to review the patient’s condition if there is a noticeable worsening.
When to contact Call for Concern?
When there is a significant worsening in the patient’s condition and your concerns have not been addressed by the ward nurses or doctors
When not to contact Call for Concern?
This is a patient safety service. Do not use to report general issues such as parking, food or general complaints. Please speak to a member of staff to discuss these issues.
How to contact Call for Concern?
Call the Acute Care Team (ACT) on 01752 433021
If no-one answers, please leave a message and you will be called back as soon as possible. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee a specific call back time as we may be reviewing other unwell patients. We will call back as soon as we can.
If you are unable to contact us, please contact switchboard via a hospital phone (dial 50 or the ward staff will help you) or
01752 202082 and ask to ‘bleep ACT on a call for concern’.
What we need to know when you call us?
Your name and the name of the patient you are concerned about, contact number.
The ward the patient is on.
A brief description of your concerns.
What happens next?
One of the ACT will take your call. They may provide advice over the telephone. They may visit the ward to discuss your concerns further. The ACT will liaise with the patient’s medical team and other healthcare professionals as needed, to discuss further treatment options.
Sometimes, we are unable to take your call immediately, but you can leave a message providing the same information as stated above, and a contact number. We will aim to get back to you as soon as possible.
Giving feedback
Every patient visiting our hospital wards, emergency departments, maternity services, outpatients and day case departments can give feedback on the quality of the care they have received.
The feedback also provides us with a better understanding of the needs of our patients and visitors and enables us to continually improve the care we give.
Ways to give feedback:
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You can give verbal or written feedback directly to the nursing team caring for the patient.
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You can contact patient advice and liaison (PALS): plh-tr.PALS@nhs.net or call 01752 439884
