Journalist Merope Mills awarded CBE for championing patient safety initiative

Merope Mills, a senior editor at The Guardian and a dedicated healthcare campaigner, has been honored with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the King's birthday honours list. The award recognizes her significant contributions to patient safety in England.

Mills spearheaded the campaign for "Martha's Rule," a crucial patient safety initiative named after her 13-year-old daughter, Martha, who died in 2021. This rule empowers patients, their relatives, and healthcare staff to request a second medical opinion if they have concerns about the provided care, aiming to prevent potentially avoidable deaths.

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The healthcare campaigner and journalist Merope Mills has been made a CBE in the king’s birthday honours list for services to patient safety.

Introduced in England in 2024, Martha's Rule is reported to have potentially saved over 500 lives. Mills's relentless advocacy has been instrumental in implementing this vital safeguard within the National Health Service, reflecting a growing emphasis on patient empowerment and enhanced care scrutiny.

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Mills, a senior editor at the Guardian, was a driving force behind the introduction of an initiative in England said to have potentially saved hundreds of lives.