The National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) programme was established on 1 April 2018 and aims to reduce premature mortality by collecting and analysing data on all child deaths in England (from birth to 18 years old). 

Headed by Dr Karen Luyt from the Child Mortality Analysis Unit (CMAU), the team includes experts in perinatology, paediatrics, patient and public involvement, child death review, data processing, analysis, linkage and governance, epidemiology and statistics – including Peter Fleming and Peter Blair from the Centre for Academic Child Health.

Around 3,500 children and adolescents die every year before their 18th birthday in England, yielding a mortality rate that is high in comparison with EU countries with comparable economies and healthcare systems. Understanding children’s deaths and translating that learning into actions to reduce potentially avoidable deaths is of central importance. The database has been funded initially for four years and commissioned by Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) on behalf of NHS England. The data are analysed at the Child Mortality Analysis Unit at the University of Bristol in collaboration with University of Oxford, UCLPartners and QES. Key stakeholders, including representation from bereaved parents, will contribute to developing the core dataset, metrics and meaningful reporting.

For more information, go to National Child Mortality Database, University of Bristol or their dedicated website: www.ncmd.info.