How useful are child death reviews: a local area’s perspective

BMC Research Notes

Gillian Holdsworth¹  Malcolm Ward³  Abdu Mohiddin²  Francesca Mazzola² 

[1] Southwark BSU, 160 Tooley Street, London SE1P 5LX, UK;Public Health Directorate, NHS Lambeth, 1 Lower Marsh, London, UK;Social Care, Southwark Council, 160 Tooley Street, London SE1P 5LX UK

关键词: Modifiable;    Overview panel;    Child death review;   

Others  :  1142055
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-6-295

 received in 2013-01-02, accepted in 2013-07-03,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Child Death Overview Panels (CDOP) provide a multidisciplinary and confidential forum to learn from and reduce deaths in those under 18 years. How well they perform and how to improve their effectiveness is a question posed at both local and national levels in England. With this in mind, this study looked at the child death review process in two London boroughs with a joint CDOP.

Findings

Data on cases reviewed from April 2008 to January 2011 were analysed focusing on cause of death and modifiable factors. Key stakeholders involved in the child death review process were interviewed regarding the effectiveness of the local death review process with responses analysed thematically.

105 (50.5%) of all notified deaths were reviewed to completion by CDOP of which 26.7% had modifiable factors. Neonates were the largest group of deaths (42.8%). Stakeholders found reviews time consuming, required significant administration and better integration with related processes e.g. hospital mortality meetings. Too much time was spent analysing cases of limited modifiability such as neonates. Implementation of recommendations needed strengthening and inclusion into the wider health and social care economy including joint strategic needs assessments and commissioning processes. Delayed reporting of information on cases contributed to a backlog.

Conclusions

The current process is bureaucratic, should better address neonatal deaths and needs more focus on implementing recommendations. Solutions include simpler forms, neonates-only subgroups, and linking recommendations to strategic initiatives such as Health and Wellbeing Boards.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Mazzola et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Hochstadt N: Child death review teams: a vital component of Child protection. Child Welfare 2006, 85(4):653.
• [2]Sidebotham PFJ: Preventing Childhood deaths: a study of ‘early Starter’ Child death overview panels in England. University of Warwick with the Universities of Sheffield and Southampton; 2008. https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DCSF-RR036.pdf webcite
• [3]Department of Education: Working together to safeguard Children: a guide to inter-agency to safeguard and promote the welfare of Children. 2010. http://www.workingtogetheronline.co.uk/contents.html webcite
• [4]Sidebotham PFJ: Developing effective child death review: a study of ‘early starter’ child death overview panels in England. Inj Prev 2011, 17:i55-i63.
• [5]Wirtz SJ, Valodi F, Lenart GA: Assessing and improving child death review team recommendations. Inj Prev 2011, 17:i64-i70.
• [6]Shanley JR, Risch EC, Bonner BL: U.S. Child death review programs: assessing progress toward a standard review process. Am J Prev Med 2010, 39(6):522-528.
• [7]Munro E, Department of Education: The Munro Review of Child Protection: Final Report. 2011. http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/m/8875_dfe_munro_report_tagged.pdf webcite
• [8]Department of Education: Statistical release on preventable Child deaths in England: year ending 31 March 2011. 2011. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-death-reviews-completed-in-england-year-ending-31-march-2011 webcite
• [9]Child and Maternal Health Observatory (CHIMAT): Child health profiles 2012. http://www.chimat.org.uk/profiles/static webcite
• [10]Munro E, Department of Education: The Munro review of Child protection interim report: the Child’s journey. 2010. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/munro-review-of-child-protection-interim-report-the-childs-journey webcite