§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the perinatal mortality and handicap figures for the years 1979 to 1985 inclusive for (a) England and (b) the Salford health authority area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe following table gives the perinatal mortality figures for(a) England, and (b) Salford district health authority for the years 1979–1984. The 1985 figures are not yet available. Statistics on perinatal handicap are not available.
Numbers and rates of perinatal mortality in England and Salford District Health Authority, 1979–1984 England Salford DHA* 1979 Number 8,839 69 Rate 14.6 22.2 1980 Number 8,316 44 Rate 13.4 13.7 1981 Number 7,044 36 Rate 11.7 11.6 1982 Number 6,670 32 Rate 11.2 10.2 1983 Number 6,158 30 Rate 10.3 9.3 1984 Number 6,065 23 Rate 10.0 7.3 Perinatal mortality rate = Deaths under 1 week plus stillbirths per 1,000 total births
* Salford Health District 1979–82
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what special support his Department gives to health authorities where the perinatal mortality and disability rate are above average to seek to reduce the figures; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what additional support he plans to give to special baby care units; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyNo special support has been made available to regional health authorities over and above their cash allocations. We have asked regions to send in reports on their neonatal services and their plans for improving them, where they consider this necessary, in the light of the recommendations in the three reports of the maternity services advisory committee.