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A new support team to tackle infant mortality was launched today by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo, who said it would help turn the tide on health inequalities.
The new National Support Team will visit 43 areas with the highest rate of infant mortality in the routine and manual group, to deliver intensive four-day programmes of interviews and workshops and tailored support to local areas.
The team will help local health teams to deal with maternal obesity, smoking, teenage pregnancy, housing and child poverty all which have significant roles to play in the life expectancy of an infant. Other related factors include ensuring that all women have a health and social care needs assessment by 12 weeks of pregnancy. Ethnicity, immunisation, management of the unwell infant, and infant nutrition can also have an impact.
A national target to reduce the 'gap' between infant mortality rates in the routine and manual group and the population as whole will be met if recent trends continue. However, this remains a challenging target.
'We have used a systematic, evidence-based approach to design the programme of support that this team will offer the local NHS and partners in the areas most affected.'
- Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo
Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said:
'The death of a baby or toddler can strike people from all walks of life - regrettably, 3,000 young children die each year before the age of one.
'These personal tragedies, unbearable for those affected, are even more poignant when issues like class, wealth, ethnicity, or preventable factors are involved.
'That is why we have used a systematic, evidence-based approach to design the programme of support that this team will offer the local NHS and partners in the areas most affected.'
The National Support Team will work with Primary Care Trusts, local authorities, other NHS trusts and the third sector to reduce infant mortality in their areas.
The team has already visited Milton Keynes, Leeds, Bristol, Kirkless and Brent, and 11 more visits are planned for 2009.
Dr Nicholas Hicks, Chief Executive of Milton Keynes PCT said:
'We were very pleased to be a pilot site for this programme, and found the visit helpful and constructive. I'm sure it will help refocus and re-energise the work of The Children's Trust and many agencies across Milton Keynes on reducing inequalities in infant mortality.'
Initial findings include good leadership, data collection and analysis, and working to engage communities that are seldom seen, seldom heard are critical to reducing health inequalities in infant mortality.
