Call for Concern

What is Call for Concern?

Call for Concern, also known as Martha's Rule, is a service available to all patients and their loved ones to use if they feel they are deteriorating (rapidly becoming more unwell) and have tried to raise their concerns to the doctors and nurse on the ward but don't feel listened to.  Nobody knows your healthcare needs or those of your loved ones, better than you and your family and because of this we recognise that you may sometimes see that something is wrong before our healthcare team does.

When to use Call for Concern:

• If you or your loved one becomes more unwell over a short space of time. 

• If it doesn't feel like you or your loved one is being treated for this by the ward doctors and nurses. 

• Or they are not listening your concerns about you or your loved one feeling more unwell.

Patients will also be asked daily about how they are feeling, this is called the Patient Wellness Questionnaire. If you are feeling unwell this too can trigger a response from the doctors and nurses, so please answer honestly. More information about the Patient Wellness Questionnaire can be found by clicking on the link on the right-hand side of this page. 

Please be reassured, using this service will NOT have a negative effect on a patient’s care in any way. Nobody knows your healthcare needs or those of your loved ones, better than you and your family and because of this we recognise that you may sometimes see that something is wrong before our healthcare team does.

When to NOT to use the Call for Concern Service:

This service should not be used to report issues or concerns regarding hospital bed/rooms, food, parking, visiting times, hospital cleanliness or any general issues. In those situations, please speak to the ward team.

If you want to make a complaint about concerns you have about care or services at ELHT, that don't involve a patient becoming more unwell today, please use our complaints service email: complaints@elht.nhs.uk, or call 01254 733 700.

How to make a Call for Concern:

Call directly: 01254 735637

Say you have a call for concern.

You’ll need:

• The patient’s name
• The ward they are on
• A brief description of the problem
• Your contact details and relationship to the patient

What happens next?

After prioritising the urgency of the problem, a Clinical Site Manager will contact you to discuss your concerns and evaluate the situation.

They will also liaise with your medical and nursing team as needed to establish the next steps and discuss any further treatment options.

Please ask if you would like help in understanding this information. This information can be made available in large print and in other languages.