The National Paediatric Early Warning System requires hospital staff to track and score vital indicators like heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels to promptly escalate treatment. The rollout to emergency rooms builds on existing usage across more than 90 children's hospital wards, alongside established adult warning protocols. To add another layer of protection, health authorities are expanding Martha's Rule to all emergency departments in England, establishing a dedicated phone line for families seeking urgent clinical reviews.
Key points
Expanding Martha's Rule provides a dedicated phone number for families to demand urgent r…: Expanding Martha's Rule provides a dedicated phone number for families to demand urgent reviews if deterioration is overlooked.
The initiative was jointly developed by NHS England, the Royal College of Paediatrics and…: The initiative was jointly developed by NHS England, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and the Royal College of Nursing.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper pledged to end dangerous corridor care for sick children a…: Health Secretary Yvette Cooper pledged to end dangerous corridor care for sick children across all English emergency departments.
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- Published
A new early warning system is being introduced in hospital emergency departments in England to help busy NHS staff identify sick children who are dangerously deteriorating.
It comes after Health Secretary Yvette Cooper promised to stop "corridor care" for sick children because of long waits for hospital beds.
The new National Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS) asks staff to check, log and grade vital signs, such as blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels.
A high overall score means a child needs more urgent attention. Concerns from staff, parents, carers or the child themselves will trigger an immediate escalation of care.
Early warnings to save lives
The initiative is designed to save lives ahead of winter, when pressure on the NHS is at its highest.
On the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Cooper recently talked about the case of two-year-old Finlay Roberts, who died in 2024 after spending hours in a hospital corridor before being discharged.
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