HC Deb 14 December 1995 vol 268 cc809-10W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many recorded deaths have been accounted for by mental illness in each of the last five years. [6109]

Mr. Horam

Information relating to 1990 to 1992 is available in Office of Population Censuses and Surveys DH2 series, copies of which are available in the Library. Information for 1993–94 are shown in the table.

Deaths from mental disorders (ICD1 290–3/9) in England and Wales, by sec, 1993–94
Number
19932
Male 2,530
Female 5,189
Total 7.719
19942
Male 2,683
Female 5,288
Total 7,971
1 International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision.
2 Provisional.

If, as a result of a mental disorder, a person commits suicide or dies in an accident, the death is not coded to mental disorders and not therefore included in the above figures.

Deaths for 1992 and earlier years represent the number of deaths registered in each year, while deaths from 1993 are those which occurred in each year. In addition, new procedures for coding cause of death from 1993 and the absence of medical inquiries mean that figures for 1993 onwards may not be exactly comparable with earlier years.

Chronic conditions such as senile dementia decreased sharply as a result of these changes.