Childhood injuries (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)
Level of need
- Nationally there has been a small, but significant, decline in the rate of admissions since 2013 / 14.
- The current national rate is 104.2 per 10,000 children.
Local Admissions
- While there was an increase in admissions during 2013 / 14, and hospital analysis of the period confirms that South Tyneside has an above England average rate of hospital admission due to injuries in 0 - 14 year olds, indications are that a double counting of admissions has incorrectly led to a rate that is far higher than other local authorities in the North East.
- Where the rate of injuries in 0 - 14 year olds for 13 / 14 is currently 214.1 admissions / 10,000 children, the adjusted rate is more like 194 admissions / 10,000. This adjustment would make South Tyneside the second highest in the country for admissions.
- The adjustment also brings South Tyneside back in line with its average performance since 2010 / 11, dampening the increase observed between 2012 / 13 and 2013 / 14.
See Fig 2 Appendix
- For every 100 children in South Tyneside, each year:
- 3 boys aged 0 - 4,
- 2 girls aged 0 - 4,
- 2 boys aged 5 - 14 and
- 1 girl aged 5 - 14 are admitted to hospital for an injury.
- The profile of injuries in South Tyneside is largely consistent with detailed analysis of childhood injuries at a national level. Most injuries occur at home for 0 - 4 year olds and either at home or at school for 5 - 14 year olds.
- The most common causes of injuries in South Tyneside are given below:
- 0 - 4 year olds:
- Falls (50%)
- Striking against an object (20%)
- Accidental poisoning (12%)
- 5 - 14 year olds:
- Falls (44%)
- Striking against an object (15%)
- Road traffic accident (12%)
- Intentional self-poisoning and self-harm (8%)
- 0 - 4 year olds:
- The analysis shows that "deliberate" injuries do not play a significant role in the "unintentional and deliberate injuries in 0 - 14 year olds" cohort. There is, however, a indication that in the older age range, self-harm that becomes the most dominant form of injury in 15 - 24 year olds.
- The majority of admissions are due to head injuries, followed by fractures of the arm and leg.
Hospital Admissions by Ward
- There is a large amount of variation across geographies in South Tyneside. Boldon Colliery has the most injuries on average while Harton has the fewest as a proportion of their child population sizes.
- The number of injuries in Harton is still higher than the English average.
- There is no noticeable trend related to deprivation in terms of rate, though the majority of the borough is within the most deprived 30% of the country. Fifteen of the boroughs wards are within the most deprived 30% of the country, three wards, Cleadon and East Boldon, Westoe, and Whitburn and Marsden are not.
- 86% South Tyneside's 0 - 19 year olds live within the most deprived 30% of the country.
See Fig 2 & 3 Appendix