CHILD ACCIDENT DATA - ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE

The accessibility, availability and content of health service data on accidental injuries occurring in childhood was investigated. Death dat a, admission data and Accident and Emergency (A&E) data were examined. Considerable problems were experienced with the availability of routi ne data, and the available information was found to be limited by the nature and content of the data collected by computerized systems. Data were limited both in terms of providing information to the local Acci dent Prevention Working Group and for the monitoring of preventive act ivity. It was also determined that none of the data were being audited . It was concluded that there is a need for national agreement concern ing both cause of injury coding and severity coding.