Issue - meetings

Report ECHS19010

The Board considered an update by Dr Jenny Selway, Consultant in Public Health Medicine on the infant mortality rate within the Borough.

The Health and Wellbeing Board had considered a report on infant mortality at its meeting on 29^th March 2019, following the identification of an upturn in infant mortality rates within the Borough in recent years.  The reasons for this had been investigated and had indicated that the variations were due to the small number of infant deaths in Bromley which were very low in comparison with statistical neighbours and were lower the England average. Infant mortality was kept under close scrutiny by the Public Health team as part of health surveillance, as well as by the multi-agency Child Death Overview Panel which scrutinised every child death in Bromley with the aim of identifying any factors of concern. 

The Consultant in Public Health Medicine confirmed that the Local Authority was participating in both regional and national databases to collate information relating to infant mortality, and that infant mortality would continue to be monitored closely to identify any concerns at the earliest stages.

RESOLVED that the update be noted.