§ 52. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reactions he has received to his response to the Social Services Committee's report on perinatal mortality from the professional bodies involved.
§ Dr. VaughanFour professional bodies have said that they are considering the Government's reply and a fifth has sent a copy of a letter addressed to the Social Services Committee. Other bodies have not yet responded.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the perinatal mortality rates for 1979 and early 1980 for babies weighing (a) under 1,000 grams, (b) 1,001 to 1,500 grams, (c) 1,501 to 2,000 grams, (d) 2,001 to 2,500 grams and (e) over 2,500 grams for England and each area health authority; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanI understand that the national perinatal epidemiologial unit at Oxford is at present engaged in making the detailed calculations for 1979, on the basis of data supplied by the Department. I am in touch with the unit about this and I hope to be able to publish the figures in theOfficial Report in the near future. Information for 1980 is not yet available.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department will publish all information which might be useful in helping awareness of ways of lowering the perinatal mortality and handicap rates; and if the release of information on the success or failure of the 30 area health authorities with high perinatal mortality rates might be helpful in this regard.
90W
§ Dr. VaughanInformation about perinatal mortality and handicap, and ways of reducing them, appears regularly in the professional and scientific periodicals. These are available to health authorities and to staff concerned in the provision of maternity and neonatal services. The Department publishes a variety of relevant reports and statistics including the quarterly "Health Trends", the annual report of th chief medical officer on the state of the public health, the triennial reports on maternal deaths and various discussion booklets in the prevention and health series, including in particular, "Reducing the Risk: Safer Pregnancy and Child birth". In addition, the quarterly bulletins of publications, started in November 1979, draw the attention of health and local authorities to major items of interest. With regard to the reports from 33 health authorities, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 21 January.—[Vol. 997, c.778–9.]