Jess's Rule asks GPs take a 'fresh eyes' approach and think again if, after three appointments, they have been unable to offer a patient a substantiated diagnosis or their symptoms have escalated.
Health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said: ‘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.
‘This is a fitting tribute to Jessica Brady and the tireless campaigning of her parents. Their determination to turn tragedy into lasting change will help protect patients and save lives for years to come.'
The new Jess's Rule posters were co-designed by the DHSC, NHS England and Jess's parents Andrea and Simon Brady. They will make sure every patient's voice is heard and that GPs have the support they need to detect serious illness before it is too late.
GP surgeries will also receive a letter from the health secretary and the national medical director of NHS England, Dr Claire Fuller, reinforcing the importance of this approach. The letter will ask GPs to display the poster in consultation rooms or staff areas to ensure the messaging around Jess's Rule is visible to all teams.
Dr Fuller said: ‘Encouraging GP teams to challenge a diagnosis when it matters most could save lives by avoiding missed or late diagnoses, and I'd like to thank Andrea and Simon Brady and the Jessica Brady CEDAR Trust for funding and providing their important insights to develop the posters.
‘These posters will help reinforce the important principle of Jess's Rule 'Three strikes, and we rethink' which will be displayed in consultation rooms where clinicians make key decisions relating to a patient's diagnosis and treatment plan day-to-day.'
Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: ‘The college has worked with Jess Brady's family and the Jessica Brady CEDAR Trust to develop learning resources for GPs on diagnosing cancer in younger people. Jess's story is an important reminder that sometimes a rare diagnosis could be the right diagnosis.'
