Overview
A major patient safety programme in hospitals has received more than 10000 calls in its first 16 months, prompting urgent reviews of patient care and potentially saving hundreds of lives. The initiative allows patients, families and healthcare staff to request immediate medical reviews if they believe a patient’s condition is worsening and not receiving sufficient attention.
Health officials say the programme is improving communication between hospital staff and families while helping medical teams respond more quickly when patients deteriorate.
Thousands of Calls Raise Concerns About Patient Care
Data collected during the first phase of the programme shows that between September 2024 and December 2025, hospitals received 10119 escalation calls through the system. These calls were made by patients, relatives or staff members who were worried about a patient’s condition or the care they were receiving.
Around one third of these calls identified cases where a patient’s health was rapidly worsening. Early detection allowed hospital teams to intervene sooner and provide appropriate treatment.
Life Saving Interventions and Treatment Changes
The calls resulted in treatment changes for 1885 patients. In many cases the reviews led to urgent transfers to higher levels of care or the administration of new treatments that improved patient outcomes.
Officials said at least 446 of these interventions were considered potentially life saving, highlighting the importance of early escalation when medical concerns arise.
In addition, more than 6000 calls helped address issues related to communication, coordination or other clinical concerns, leading to improvements in how care was delivered to patients.
Growing Awareness of the Programme
Hospital awareness campaigns have helped increase the number of calls to the service. Posters and information materials placed in hospital wards explain how patients and families can raise concerns and request urgent reviews.
The number of calls has more than doubled since the programme began expanding nationwide, indicating that more people are becoming aware of the system and using it when necessary.
Background of the Patient Safety Initiative
The programme was introduced following the death of 13 year old Martha Mills in 2021. She died after developing sepsis while in hospital, and an investigation later concluded that earlier transfer to intensive care might have saved her life.
Her parents campaigned for reforms that would give patients and families a stronger voice when they believe medical concerns are not being addressed.
Conclusion
Health leaders say the initiative is transforming the culture of hospital care by encouraging staff to listen more closely to patients and their families. The data from its first 16 months suggests the programme is playing a significant role in improving patient safety and ensuring that concerns about deteriorating health conditions are acted upon quickly.
