Jess’s Rule: New NHS Guidance Aims to Prevent Missed Diagnoses

A new NHS initiative known as Jess’s Rule is being rolled out across England to help GPs identify serious illnesses earlier and prevent avoidable deaths. The guidance urges doctors to take a “three strikes and rethink” approach—meaning if a patient attends three appointments with the same symptoms and no diagnosis, further action should be taken.

This could include arranging a face-to-face consultation for patients previously seen remotely, ordering additional tests, seeking a second opinion, or referring the patient to a specialist. The initiative is named after Jessica Brady, a 27-year-old engineer from Stevenage, who tragically died from stage 4 adenocarcinoma in December 2020.

Jessica had contacted her GP over 20 times in five months, reporting symptoms such as weight loss, night sweats, fatigue, a persistent cough, and enlarged lymph nodes. Despite seeing six different doctors and attending three in-person consultations, she was told she was “too young for cancer” and was never referred to a specialist. By the time her family arranged a private consultation, it was too late.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting described her death as “a preventable and unnecessary tragedy” and praised her family for campaigning “through unimaginable grief” to ensure Jessica’s legacy helps save lives.

Research shows that younger patients and those from ethnic minority backgrounds often face delays in diagnosis, as their symptoms may not align with typical diagnostic patterns. Jess’s case highlights how assumptions based on age can lead to devastating consequences.

How a Medical Negligence Solicitor Can Help

Jess’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of timely and thorough medical care. For individuals who feel their symptoms have been dismissed or their diagnosis delayed, seeking legal advice can be an important step toward justice and accountability.

A medical negligence solicitor can help assess whether a duty of care was breached, investigate the circumstances surrounding a delayed diagnosis, and pursue compensation where appropriate. Beyond financial redress, these cases often lead to improvements in clinical practice—ensuring that lessons are learned and future patients are better protected.

If you or a loved one has experienced a delay in diagnosis or treatment, our team of experienced medical negligence solicitors are here to listen, advise, and support you every step of the way.

We believe that everyone deserves access to justice, regardless of their financial circumstances. In some instances, we offer a no win no fee agreement, formally known as a conditional fee agreement (CFA), which helps you take legal action without having to worry about upfront costs.*

*There are circumstances where you would be asked to pay any outstanding costs even if you don’t win your case.

You may need to pay for services from Howells Solicitors in certain situations. These include being dishonest, not giving your solicitor instructions, or rejecting an offer against their advice. Other examples are the death of the claimant, cancelling your claim, and moving without telling your solicitor.

Under these circumstances, you may also have to cover the Defendant’s costs. Clients may be asked to pay disbursements up front or must stand to the cost of a medical report if a second opinion is obtained. In some instances, you may need to pay for medical reports or other third-party payments upfront. We would discuss this with you before making any decision.

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