Avoidable deaths continue to be higher in Wales than in England
Avoidable deaths linked to drink and drugs continue to be higher in Wales than in England, according to new data.
The level has been higher in Wales in every year studied from 2001 to 2012, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The rate of avoidable deaths is also far higher for men than women in Wales. The figures include deaths caused by drug and alcohol abuse, accidental deaths and suicides. They also include murders, some infectious diseases, such as HIV and TB, and preventable or treatable health conditions such as lung cancer, heart disease and asthma. Complacency The rate of avoidable deaths has fallen steadily in Wales over the 11 years for which figures are available, but the rate has fallen faster in England. In 2012, the ONS said there were 7,486 avoidable deaths in Wales at an estimated rate of 193.5 per 100,000 of the population. This compares to a rate of 168.1 per 100,000 of the population in England. The figures have been adjusted for the age of the population. In 2001 there were 9,037 avoidable deaths in Wales and the rate was 264.4 per 100,000 residents. The data shows that the avoidable rate for men in 2012 was 240 per 100,000 residents, compared to 148.9 women. The new ONS figures follow a review by the Royal College of Physicians which found that people suffering from asthma are dying unnecessarily because of complacency among both medical staff and patients. The first national study of asthma deaths in the UK, which was published on Tuesday, said 67 people died from the condition in Wales in 2012-13 and 3,571 were hospitalised.