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Mortality Target Monitoring: Update to include data for 2007

  • Document type:
    Report
  • Author:
    Department of Health
  • Published date:
    7 October 2008
  • Publication format:
    A4 electronic only
  • Gateway reference:
    Not required
  • Pages:
    17
  • Copyright holder:
    Crown
National Statistics logo

The latest annual update on mortality rates, with data updated to 2005-07, which are used to monitor progress against Department of Health mortality targets for cancer, circulatory diseases, suicide and injury of undetermined intent, and accidents in England, were released on 7th October 2008 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

The key points from the latest release are:

  • Progress towards the 2010 targets to reduce overall mortality rates from cancer, circulatory diseases, suicide and undetermined injury, and accidents, and to reduce inequalities in mortality rates from cancer and circulatory diseases, from a baseline of 1995-97, was as follows:
  • Three-year average mortality rates for cancer (ages under 75) for England have fallen by 18.2% since the baseline.  If the trend of the last ten years were to continue, the target for a 20% reduction by 2009-11 would be met.
  • The absolute gap in mortality rates for cancer (ages under 75) between the Spearhead Group and England as a whole has reduced by 13.2% since the baseline, compared with the required target reduction of at least 6% by 2009-11.
  • Three-year average mortality rates for circulatory diseases (ages under 75) for England have fallen by 44.0% since the baseline. The minimum target requirement for a 40% reduction by 2009-11 has been met, ahead of schedule.
  • The absolute gap in mortality rates for circulatory diseases (ages under 75) between the Spearhead Group and England as a whole has reduced by 35.9% since the baseline, compared with the required target reduction of 40% by 2009-11.
  • Three-year average mortality rates from intentional self-harm (suicide) and undetermined injury for England have fallen by 13.9% since the baseline.  If the trend over the past ten years were to continue, the target for a 20% reduction would be met.
  • Three-year average mortality rates from accidents for England are broadly flat since the baseline period.  The mortality rate in 2005-07 is 0.3% above the baseline rate. If the trend of the last ten years were to continue, the target for a 20% reduction would not be met.

Notes:

Targets to reduce overall mortality rates from cancer, circulatory diseases, suicide and undetermined injury, and accidents were published in “Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation”. The targets for cancer, circulatory diseases, and suicide were also included in the Department of Health Public Service Agreement (PSA) published as part of the Government Spending Review 2004, alongside targets to reduce inequalities in mortality rates from cancer and circulatory diseases. The inequality dimension of these targets is monitored by comparing the progress of England as a whole with equivalent progress of the “Spearhead Group” of health deprived areas.

Identification of the ‘Spearhead Group’

The Spearhead Group consists of the 70 Local Authority (single-tier and district council) areas (which following the NHS reconfiguration, overlap with 62 Primary Care Trusts) that are in the bottom fifth nationally for 3 or more of the following 5 factors:

  • Male life expectancy at birth;
  • Female life expectancy at birth;
  • Cancer mortality rate in under 75s;
  • Cardiovascular disease mortality rate in under 75s; and
  • Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 (Local Authority Summary), average score.

(For life expectancy, the ‘bottom’ fifth means those with the lowest figures; for mortality rates and deprivation scores, it means those with the highest figures).
The Spearhead Group was defined in 2004 for use with associated Spending Review 2004 Public Service Agreement targets. Life expectancy and mortality rates were assessed against their positions in 1995-97 (the baseline period for the Public Service Agreement inequalities target that are based on the Spearhead Group), while the 2004 version of the Index of Deprivation was used.

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