Posters promoting Jess’s Rule will be sent to all 6,170 GP practices in England, with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England confirming the national rollout on 17 January 2026. Surgeries are expected to display them in consultation rooms to reach clinicians and patients. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/life-saving-jesss-rule-to-be-advertised-in-every-gp-surgery?utm_source=openai))
Jess’s Rule asks GP teams to take a fresh look if a patient has attended three times with the same or worsening symptoms without a substantiated diagnosis. Announced in September 2025, the approach is captured as “three strikes and we rethink” to prompt a structured, safety‑focused review. ([england.nhs.uk](https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/jesss-rule-three-strikes-and-we-rethink/?utm_source=openai))
The materials were co‑designed with Jessica Brady’s parents following her death in 2020, and practices are also receiving a letter from the Health Secretary and NHS England’s Medical Director asking for prominent display and staff awareness. The rollout is framed as a national patient‑safety campaign rather than a change to the GP contract. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/life-saving-jesss-rule-to-be-advertised-in-every-gp-surgery?utm_source=openai))
Operationally, the Rule points to specific actions: if earlier contacts were remote, arrange a face‑to‑face consultation; examine the patient; review records and red flags; seek a peer opinion; and order further tests or refer to secondary care where appropriate. It formalises established good practice while preserving clinical judgement. ([england.nhs.uk](https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/jesss-rule-three-strikes-and-we-rethink/?utm_source=openai))
Evidence from QualityWatch, the Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation programme, indicates younger people and those from minority ethnic backgrounds often need more pre‑diagnosis GP interactions. Around half of 16–24‑year‑olds had three or more interactions before a cancer diagnosis, compared with roughly one in five across all ages, and about one in three among Mixed, Asian and Black ethnicities. ([nuffieldtrust.org.uk](https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/qualitywatch-younger-people-and-people-of-minority-ethnicities-have-more-visits-to-a-gp-before-a-cancer-diagnosis-0?utm_source=openai))
NHS England’s guidance links the Rule to the General Medical Council’s Good medical practice, which expects doctors to adequately assess patients, carry out physical examinations where needed, and arrange timely investigations or referrals. Jess’s Rule is designed to reinforce these duties in everyday primary care. ([england.nhs.uk](https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/jesss-rule-three-strikes-and-we-rethink/?utm_source=openai))
The campaign sits alongside wider primary care reforms. Government publications set out an additional £1.1 billion for general practice and a separate £889 million uplift to the 2025–26 GP contract, plus a requirement from 1 October 2025 that all surgeries keep online consultation tools open during core hours (8am–6:30pm). ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/care-minister-speech-at-rcgp-annual-conference-2025?utm_source=openai))
Professional bodies have signalled support. The Royal College of GPs describes Jess’s Rule as formalising best practice by encouraging reflection on working diagnoses, use of second opinions and timely referral when treatment plans are not working-especially where symptoms could indicate serious disease. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/life-saving-jesss-rule-to-be-advertised-in-every-gp-surgery?utm_source=openai))
For practices, the near‑term task is straightforward: ensure posters are visible in consultation rooms, embed the ‘three strikes and rethink’ check into triage and case‑review processes, and draw on learning resources developed with the RCGP and GatewayC. For patients, the posters indicate that persistent or worsening symptoms should trigger a proactive review and, if needed, escalation. ([england.nhs.uk](https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/jesss-rule-three-strikes-and-we-rethink/?utm_source=openai))