Page 2 - Big Book of Accident Prevention

Contents RoSPA’s Big Book of Accident Prevention 3 Title here Forewordoreword F Dear Colleague “Strategies and policies Accident prevention – the No. 1 priority relating to children, young for public health people and older people This is your copy of a short publication which we at the Royal need to incorporate Society for the Prevention of Accidents have designed to highlight injury prevention. ” the very real impact that effective accidental injury prevention can have on the health of your population. Professor Dame Sally Davies – Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report, November 2012 The Big Book of Accident Prevention We know that there are many issues competing for a place within your Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) need to find solutions which do the most, with the least. Accidental injury prevention is low cost and high impact. It is easy to deliver (there is a well-worn pathway of best practice) and it is broadly welcomed by the people it RoSPA’s Big Book of Accident Prevention 03 helps. Because it affects the young so much, our new research shows (pages 8 and 9) that this is also the principal cause of premature, preventable mortality (measured in Preventable Years of Life Lost or PrYLL) for most of a Endorsements 04 person’s life. We believe it should be the No. 1 priority for public health. The politics of accident prevention 05 Nearly a third of the population has their lives diminished due to an accident. The costs to the nation are Why do we need accident prevention? 06 enormous and rising but accidents are preventable. This publication aims to help you deliver successes against the new, accident related indicators in the Public Health Outcomes Framework for England 2013–2016: Mortality and Preventable Years of Life Lost 08 Indicator 4.3: Mortality from causes considered preventable What might have been 10 Indicator 1.10: Killed and seriously injured casualties on England’s roads Unintentional injury rates by age 11 Indicator 2.7: Hospital admissions caused by unintentional and deliberate injuries in under-18s Case study 1: Safe At Home 12 Indicator 2.24: Falls and injuries in the over-65s / Indicator 4.14: Hip fractures in the over-65s Case study 2: LASER 14 There are just three things I would urge you to do: Case study 3: 20mph zones and speed limits 16 • Make sure that accident prevention is on the agenda for your HWB. If it isn’t, ask why not and give it the Case study 4: Falls prevention services 18 consideration it deserves. Interrogate your local data to see how the issue affects you About RoSPA 20 • Contact RoSPA for advice and support. We will make sure that your HWB is briefed, consulted and updated at Accident prevention links to public health responsibilities 22 every stage of the development of your public health planning and delivery. We are here to help you – use us Frequently asked questions 24 • Keep this as your touchstone document and use it to refresh and renew your commitment to this vitally important issue – helping to save the lives and reduce the injuries of the people you have determined References 26 to protect. Contact details 27 Kind regards Sponsor acknowledgement “As winners of the Sir George Earle Trophy* in 2012, Finning UK & Ireland are proud to support Professor Yvonne Doyle MD, DCH, MPH, FRCPI, FFPHM, FFPHMI Director of Public RoSPA in the publication and distribution of this excellent document, which makes the case Health, NHS South of England Trustee, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents so clearly for accident prevention. Armed with the information contained in the ‘Big Book’, we feel sure that key decision-makers in public health will see the value of placing this subject at the top of their priority list. As a company committed to the safety of all our workers, our customers and the public as well as their families and the communities in which they live, we Copyright Notice: know there is no better way to save lives and reduce injuries.” All rights reserved unless explicitly granted. Neil Dickinson, Managing Director, Finning UK & Ireland. You may print copies or extracts from these pages for your personal and non-commercial use only but please quote The Royal Society for the *The Sir George Earle Trophy is the premier workplace health and safety award in the UK, arguably in the world. Established for over 50 years, the Trophy Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) as the source. You are not permitted to copy, adapt or change in any way the content of this document for any other recognises the highest standards of conformity to best practice in any industry sector. As well as their performance excellence, entrants are judged on their purpose whatsoever other than for your personal and non-commercial use without the prior written permission of RoSPA. determination to address intractable safety issues, their teamwork, their innovation and their contribution outside the workplace into the wider community. Finning UK & Ireland was the well-deserved winner for 2012, taking the pre-eminent position in a competition of 2,000 UK and international companies. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents