New NHS Safety Rule “Jess’s Rule” Announced to Prevent Delayed Diagnoses After Tragic Death of 27-Year-Old
A new patient safety initiative called Jess’s Rule is being introduced across GP practices in England to help prevent late diagnoses of serious illnesses like cancer. It’s named after Jessica Brady, a 27-year-old engineer who died in 2020 from advanced cancer after more than 20 appointments at her GP practice in the 5 months leading up to her death failed to catch her condition in time. She was later diagnosed with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma by a private doctor and died three weeks later.
Designed with NHS England and the Royal College of GPs, GPs will be expected to "think again" after three appointments with no diagnosis or if a patient’s condition worsens, prompting additional checks, second opinions, or referrals, with the hope that no other patient’s voice is overlooked the way Jess’s was. While many GPs already follow similar instincts, Jess’s Rule makes it national guidance. It also aims to address health inequalities, as research shows younger and ethnic minority patients often face delays in diagnosis.
Jessica’s symptoms—including unintentional weight loss, night sweats, and a persistent cough—were repeatedly dismissed due to her age and assumptions about long Covid. Her mother Andrea Brady said Jess “knew her delayed diagnosis was instrumental in the fact she had no treatment options open to her, only palliative care.” The family’s campaign led to national action, with the Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling Jess’s death “a preventable and unnecessary tragedy” and saying the government is “taking decisive action to improve patient safety.”
