Merope Mills awarded CBE in king’s honours list for Martha’s rule campaign

Journalist and healthcare campaigner was driving force behind patient safety initiative after death of 13-year-old daughter

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

Mills, a senior editor at the Guardian, was a driving force behind the introduction of an initiative in England said to have https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/01/marthas-rule-may-have-saved-more-than-500-lives-in-england-since-2024">potentially saved hundreds of lives.

She has spent years campaigning for the introduction of https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/sep/14/marthas-rule-what-it-will-mean-for-patients-and-their-families">Martha’s rule under which patients, relatives and staff can seek a second opinion if they have concerns about the care being provided.