Jess's Rule launches across NHS England to speed cancer diagnosis and boost patient safety

Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the launch of Jess's Rule across the NHS in England, a patient-safety initiative named in memory of Jessica Brady, who died of cancer after more than 20 GP visits over five months without a diagnosis. Streeting said the policy is designed to reduce delays in care and save lives by prompting clinicians to rethink a diagnosis when symptoms persist or worsen after several visits. Brady, who was 27, died after a pathway of care that officials say fell short of the standard of timely investigation, prompting calls for systemic changes to frontline primary care.

Under Jess's Rule, a patient who has attended three appointments without a diagnosis, or with escalating symptoms, triggers a mandatory fresh look at the case. The approach encourages a more thorough re-appraisal by the GP, which could include arranging a face-to-face consultation instead of a remote call, ensuring continuity of care with the same clinician where possible, seeking a second opinion from a colleague, or ordering additional tests. The aim is to catch illnesses earlier and improve the chances of successful treatment, including cancers diagnosed at Stage One rather than Stage Four.

The policy is part of a broader plan to reform NHS diagnostics and patient safety. Officials emphasize that earlier detection of cancer not only improves outcomes for individuals but also has a cascading positive effect on NHS resources by reducing late-stage treatments. The government points to ongoing improvements and reform as essential to turning around perceptions of care and reliability in primary services.

The government says the Plan for Change is already making an impact. Between August 2024 and July 2025, about 160,000 more people were diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days compared with the 12 months from July 2023 to June 2024. In parallel, more than 2,000 extra GPs have been recruited this year, and practices have benefited from record funding of more than £1 billion for 2025-26. Patient satisfaction with GP services is rising, according to official surveys, though officials acknowledge that money alone cannot fix systemic issues and that reform must center on listening to patients and families who have lived through tragedies like Jess Brady’s.

Streeting and other health leaders say the response to Jess's Rule must extend beyond patients who seek care for obvious symptoms. They emphasize reducing disparities in diagnosis, noting that research shows younger patients and those from ethnic minority backgrounds sometimes face delays because their symptoms do not fit typical patterns seen in older, white patients. By requiring a more deliberate, case-by-case review after several visits, the program aims to close such gaps and ensure consistent, timely access to investigation and treatment. Andrea and Simon Brady, Jess’s parents, have publicly supported the initiative, underscoring the lived reality behind the policy and its potential to prevent similar tragedies.

The policy, while ambitious, is framed as a practical step in a broader effort to reform the NHS's front door — the primary care system where most cancer cases first come to light. Officials stress that success will depend on sustained investment, continuous clinical engagement, and robust data to monitor whether the three-visit trigger translates into earlier diagnoses in diverse patient groups. As Jess’s Rule takes root, health leaders say the focus remains on patient safety, transparency, and learning from every tragedy to prevent it from recurring.