11.02.14
ONS to continue publishing child mortality data
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will continue publishing child mortality data, after pressure from leading health organisations.
The ‘Save the Stats’ campaign, led by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) with other children’s charities, sought to safeguard the collection of these statistics in order to identify the best health interventions and stop unnecessary deaths.
In total, 16 of the ONS’s high-impact outputs will continue, including statistics on alcohol-related deaths, excess winter mortality, suicides in the UK and social inequality in health expectancy.
A further 15 will be continued if alternative funding can be secured, and seven were found to have a lower impact and so will be scrapped from April 2014.
Glen Watson, director general of the ONS said: “There was a very good response to our consultation, demonstrating the high value placed on ONS outputs by users. The response has clearly indicated those with the widest support. We are working with government departments and other bodies to find alternative funding for a number of other outputs.”
Dr Hilary Cass, president of the RCPCH, said: “The decision to continue publishing statistics on child mortality is a huge relief and testimony to the organisations and individuals who campaigned hard to ensure they remained.
“Without these annual figures, the drive to improve child health in the UK would have taken a major backward step. Today’s victory sends out a strong message; the ONS has recognised that the health and wellbeing of the nation, and in particular children – is something that cannot be allowed to fall victim to a cold cost-cutting exercise.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]