Accidents

Accidental injury is a leading cause of child death in England and Wales
About ¼ of a million people in England are admitted to hospital due to accidental damage each year (225,945).
Treating injury costs the NHS over £2billion a year
The cost to society of accidents in the home was estimated at £25 billion in 1996
Over 300,000 people are killed or injured in road traffic accidents in great Britain each year
Falls are a major cause of disability and the leading cause of injury mortality in people aged over 75 in England and Wales
One-third to one-half of people aged over 65 fall each year
Over 400,000 older people in England attend accident and emergency departments following a fall
Up to 14,000 people die annually in the UK as a result of an osteporotic hip fracture

In the West Midlands

For children aged 1-4 years fire and flames and pedestrian injuries cause the highest death rates
For children age 5-14 years pedestrian injuries are the most frequent type of injury causing death
For adolescents age 15-19 years injuries as vehicle occupants are the most frequent type of injury causing death

In Staffordshire

The rate of persons killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents in Staffordshire has fallen slightly since 2005. The worst areas are Stafford and South Staffordshire districts..

See Chapter 8 of the PDF file icon Community Safety in Staffordshire 2006 report

Health Inequalities exist for accidents:

There is a strong association between childhood injury and social deprivation, particularly for pedestrian injuries
Men are more likely to die from accidental injury than women. In England, the accidental injury death rate for men is double that for women. For young men (aged 15 to 24), the accidental injury death rate is over 3.5 times for women the same age group

National Government Targets

Reduce the number of children killed or seriously injured by 50%, by 2010 compared with the average for 1994-98, tackling the significantly higher incidence in disadvantaged communities
To reduce the number of accidental fire related deaths in the home by 20%
To reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in Great Britain in road accidents by 40% and the number of children killed or seriously injured by 50%

Local Targets

Staffordshire County Council have a Community Safety Strategy target to improve road safety and reduce the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on the roads in Staffordshire.

By April 2008 to:

Reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Staffordshire roads
Reduce the number of children killed or seriously injured on Staffordshire roads
Reduce the number of road casualties amongst 16-25 year old

In addition, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service leads a campaign aimed at reducing the number of fire deaths and injuries in domestic properties. For information on how you can reduce the risk of fires, click the link below.

www.staffordshirefire.gov.uk

What Is Effective In Reducing Accidents?

The Health Development Agency evidence briefings summarise the evidence on the effectiveness for the Prevention and Reduction of Accidental Injury in Children and Older People.
The National Service Framework for Children recommends that home visitors advise parents with very young children on steps to take to protect their children against falls, scalding, burns, drowning, choking and poisoning. The "Every Child Matters" outcomes for "Stay Safe" state that children, young people and their carers should be informed about key risks and how to deal with them and that children and young people are provided with a safe environment. Agencies that work together on accident prevention should base their organisational focus on one or more of these national strategy documents
NICE have produced national guidelines for the prevention of falls in older people. Measures for older people include installation of stair and bath rails at home, checking medicines that might weaken muscle tone, and prescribing a course of physical activity tailored to the condition and needs of the individual
The Department of Health have published guidance on falls prevention as part of the National Service Framework for Older People. They also provide specific guidance for commissioners of older people's services and managers and staff in residential care homes.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents provides information and advice on accident prevention, including training and resources on road safety, safety in the home, water safety and occupational safety.

For information on effective accident prevention, click the links below.

Prevention and Reduction of Accidental Injury Summary

http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/

Department of Health National Service Framework

http://www.nice.org.uk/

http://www.rospa.com/

Last Modified: 20/11/2008 14:14:24
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