Child mortality rate investigated

A special commission, charged with investigating why Bradford's child mortality rate is twice the national average, met for the first time yesterday.

Of the 7,000 babies born in the area in 2003, 69 died before their first birthday, prompting local officials to order an inquiry to find out why.

The Bradford District Infant Mortality Commission, which will meet bi-monthly for the next year, will question doctors, bereaved parents, and environmental health officers to find out what is causing the deaths.

Commission members include doctors, maternity nurses, academics and parents who, at the end of their inquiry, will draw up a list of recommendations to improve maternity care and tackle infant mortality.

Cheryl Moorhouse, whose son Joshua died at birth five years ago, is on the commission. "We want to see whether we can change what's happening in Bradford. We will look at every factor that could affect a child's health," she said.

"Joshua had a genetic disorder, and no one could stop that. But there are many other deaths we could prevent."

Dr Dee Kyle, the director of public health for Bradford south and west, also on the commission, said: "Previously there has been a lot of research into this and services have improved as a result. But wealth is the highest marker. Babies of families from higher socio-economic backgrounds survive more than babies from families of poorer families."

The chair of the commission, Julia O'Hara, a lawyer, said they would begin by ordering a complete set of data to map out where the deaths were occurring within the area.

She promised that the commission would be critical should it find fault with health and social care services in the area.

"The circumstances giving rise to the work of the commission involve considerable sadness but I trust the outcome will provide cause for optimism and improvements for the future," she said.

A spokesman for Bradford Vision, the regeneration body which convened the inquiry, said that "difficult" questions would be asked, such as what influence cultural and behavioural factors had on the health of babies.

Most of the deaths were due to premature births and low birth weight, he said.

Figures last year from the Office for National Statistics revealed that, along with Bradford, Birmingham and the Black Country had the highest infant mortality rate in England, at 8.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, while Dorset and Somerset had the lowest at 3.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.