Isle Of Wight NHS Trust Promotes ‘Call 4 Concern’ Patient Safety Service

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust is highlighting its Call 4 Concern (C4C) service, which gives patients and their loved ones a clear way to raise urgent concerns about a patient’s health.

The initiative supports Martha’s Rule, a national NHS approach encouraging patients and families to speak up if they notice signs of deterioration.

C4C allows inpatients, family members, friends, or carers to request an urgent clinical review if they feel a patient’s condition is worsening and their worries have not been fully addressed through regular care discussions.

The service is delivered by the Trust’s Critical Care Outreach Service (CCOS), which provides specialist support for acutely unwell patients across the hospital.

Matthew Reed, Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Team Leader for CCOS, said:

"At St Mary’s, we believe that Martha’s Rule and Call 4 Concern empower patients and families to speak up when they sense something is not right.

"No one knows their loved one better.

"This service provides an important safeguard that ensures concerns are heard and acted upon quickly."

Martha’s Rule aims to strengthen patient and family involvement in spotting early signs of deterioration and reinforces that it is always appropriate to ask for help.

Call 4 Concern provides a direct route to a trained clinical team that can assess acute illness and respond swiftly.

The service should be used specifically for worries about a patient’s condition worsening or not improving as expected, and is available only while the patient is in hospital.

It is not intended for general feedback or non-clinical queries.