Britain suffers worst child mortality rate in Europe

Britain has the worst child mortality rate among the European countries with the rate for children aged between 0 and 14 years climbing from the average to the worst, new figures has revealed.

The deterioration comes as more than a quarter or 26 percent of children’s deaths showed “identifiable failure in the child’s direct care”, according to the figures.

Now, the government is to announce a national new vow to lower child deaths as part of its response to the Children and Young People’s Health Outcomes Forum, which was set up in January 2012.

The forum introduces new measures including increasing data so the National Health Service (NHS) and local authorities can obtain better information to improve the health of young people; piloting a survey to generate details of local health problems such as drug and alcohol use; and launching colour coded health maps to highlight trends for conditions such as asthma and diabetes.

“For too long, Britain’s childhood mortality rates have been amongst the worst in Europe when compared to similar countries”, said the health minister, Dan Poulter.

“In particular, there is unacceptable variation across the country in the quality of care for children – for example in the treatment of long-term conditions such as asthma and diabetes”, the health minister noted.

“I am determined that children and young people should be put at the heart of the new health and social care system. Too often in the past, children’s health has been an afterthought.

“The pledge that we are making demonstrates how all parts of the system will play their part and work together to improve children’s health. There is already a lot of good work going on but we want the NHS to do even more to improve care for children and young people and reduce the mortality rate”, he added.

The pledge commits signatories to put children, young people and families at the heart of decision-making.