GPs across England are to adopt a \u201cthree strikes and rethink\u201d approach to patients whose illnesses they cannot diagnose, under a safety initiative known as \u201cJess\u2019s rule\u201d.<\/p>\n
It is named after Jessica Brady, who died at the age of 27 of stage four cancer in December 2020 after experiencing abdominal pain, coughing, vomiting and weight loss for six months.<\/p>\n
Before her death, she had contacted her local surgery more than 20 times but was repeatedly wrongly diagnosed with long Covid. Coronavirus restrictions meant she had no face-to-face appointments.<\/p>\n
It was only after attending a private consultation that Brady, from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. She died three weeks later in hospital while on oxygen.<\/p>\n
According to Jess\u2019s rule, GPs will have to reconsider a patient\u2019s case if their symptoms have escalated or they are unable to offer a credible diagnosis. The rule was developed by NHS England and the Royal College of General Practitioners.<\/p>\n
\u201cJessica Brady\u2019s death was a preventable and unnecessary tragedy,\u201d said Wes Streeting, the health secretary. \u201cI want to thank her courageous family, who have campaigned tirelessly through unimaginable grief to ensure Jessica\u2019s legacy helps to save the lives of others.<\/p>\n
\u201cPatient safety must be the bedrock of the NHS and Jess\u2019s rule will make sure every patient receives the thorough, compassionate and safe care that they deserve, while supporting our hardworking GPs to catch potentially deadly illnesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want any family to endure the pain Jessica\u2019s family have been through. This government will learn from such tragedies and is taking decisive action to improve patient safety.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jess\u2019s rule began as a petition, started by her mother, Andrea, who also called for measures such as funding to allow GPs to refer all patients to specialists and for more face-to-face consultations.<\/p>\n
Change.org, the website that hosted the petition, said its almost 500,000 signatures made it the biggest healthcare petition on the platform since the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Andrea Brady said: \u201cJess lived for just three short weeks following her terminal cancer diagnosis. Despite her shock and devastation, she showed unfailing courage, positivity, dignity, and love. Jess was determined that people should understand how desperately she had tried to advocate for herself and seek a resolution for her declining health.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the bleak weeks following the loss of Jess, I realised it was my duty to continue what she had started. It has taken nearly five years to bring about Jess\u2019s rule. I would like to dedicate this initiative to all the young people who have been diagnosed too late.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jess\u2019s rule also aims to address concerns that younger patients and those from minority ethnic backgrounds often face delays in diagnosis of serious conditions.<\/p>\n