A major new patient safety initiative is being rolled out across England's National Health Service this week, aiming to prevent serious illnesses from being overlooked. Posters promoting Jess's rule have been dispatched to every one of the country's 6,170 GP practices.
What is Jess's Rule?
The rule is a simple but powerful protocol designed to catch potential diagnostic errors. It urges family doctors to take a step back and reconsider their approach if a patient has attended three appointments for the same symptoms without receiving a clear diagnosis. In such cases, clinicians are prompted to consider a second opinion, conduct a comprehensive face-to-face physical examination, or order further investigative tests.
The initiative is named in memory of Jessica Brady, a 27-year-old engineer from Airbus who died from cancer in 2020. In the six months before her death, Jessica contacted her GP surgery around 20 times, reporting symptoms including abdominal pain, coughing, vomiting, and weight loss. During the pandemic, she was largely offered virtual appointments and prescribed medications like antibiotics and steroids, with suggestions she might have long Covid. She was only diagnosed after her mother paid for a private consultation, but the cancer had spread extensively, and she died three weeks later.
National Rollout and Official Backing
Although Jess's rule was first launched in September, this week's poster campaign marks a significant push to embed it into everyday practice. The posters were co-designed by Jessica's parents, Andrea and Simon Brady, alongside NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated: "Every patient deserves to be heard, and every serious illness deserves to be caught early. Jess's rule makes that possible, reminding clinicians to take a fresh look when symptoms persist and empowering patients to speak up about their care." He praised the Brady family's campaigning, calling the rule "a fitting tribute" that will "save lives for years to come."
Alongside the posters, GP surgeries will receive a joint letter from Streeting and NHS England's National Medical Director, Dr Claire Fuller, reinforcing the rule's importance.
Response from the Medical Community and Family
Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said Jessica's story served as "an important reminder that sometimes a rare diagnosis could be the right diagnosis."
Andrea Brady, speaking on behalf of the Jessica Brady Cedar Trust charity, expressed that they are "heartened" by the engagement from surgeries adopting the 'three strikes and we rethink' approach. "Many have committed to developing further training, while others have written to patients to endorse the initiative and show their support. This level of engagement has been profoundly encouraging," she said.
The move is seen as a direct effort to improve diagnostic pathways and ensure that persistent patient concerns are never dismissed, potentially leading to earlier intervention for serious conditions like cancer.
