At School Lane we are committed to ensuring every patient feels heard and supported throughout their care. We are pleased to share that a new patient safety initiative called Jess’s Rule is now being adopted in GP surgeries across the country to help improve early diagnosis and prevent avoidable harm.
Jess’s Rule encourages clinicians to take a fresh look at cases when a patient comes in with the same symptoms three times without a clear diagnosis, or if symptoms are getting worse despite treatment. The principle behind this approach is summed up as “three strikes and we rethink”. It encourages doctors to review, reflect and, if needed, take further action such as offering a face-to-face appointment, ordering additional tests, obtaining a second opinion or making a referral for specialist care. This formalises an existing approach that many GP surgeries already undertake but has been formalised and jointly developed by the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and the Royal College of General Practitioners and is now being supported with posters and guidance in GP practices nationwide.
Jess’s Rule was created in memory of Jessica Brady, a young woman from Stevenage who sadly died after her symptoms were repeatedly unexplained despite multiple visits to her GP. Her family have worked to ensure that others in similar situations may receive more timely and thorough reviews of their symptoms.
At School Lane we always want you to feel confident about your care. If you have concerns that your symptoms have not been fully addressed after several appointments, please talk to your clinician or ask for a follow up so we can make sure your care plan continues to meet your needs.