Public health chiefs urge infant death prevention training

Statistics released by the organisation, which campaigns to protect and improve the nation’s health, show that in London alone 466 babies died before their first birthday in 2013, the equivalent of nine babies each week.

Common risk factors for babies include the baby’s sleeping position, sharing a bed with their parents, and their parents smoking.

Babies born into poor families are twice as likely to die within one year than those born to affluent families.

It has published two sets of guidance on how to prevent sudden infant deaths.

In addition to calling for all professionals working with families to be trained in offering prevention advice, Public Health England also wants:

• Education for carers and parents on “safer sleeping actions” for babies.
• Health professionals working with pregnant women to receive training to help them quit smoking.   
• Public health services to work together to tackle maternal obesity.
• Promotion of completing immunisations for babies by their first birthday.

Yvonne Doyle, regional director of Public Health England London, said: “Although unexplained infant deaths have reduced in London over recent years, numbers remain high.

“By raising awareness of sudden and unexpected deaths in babies and some of the commonly associated risks, we can hopefully further educate parents and guardians and help to reduce infant mortality in London.”

Francine Bates, chief executive of The Lullaby Trust, which promotes advice on preventing sudden infant deaths, and provides specialist support for bereaved families said the UK has one of the highest infant mortality rates in Western Europe.

“Some of these deaths could be prevented if parents understood how best to sleep their babies safely.

“The safest place for a baby to sleep is on its back in a cot or Moses basket in the same room as a parent for at least the first six months.

"In other countries like Holland where sudden infant death is very low, they apply a concerted strategy to reducing infant deaths and their health professionals consistently give the safer sleep advice to families."

The call from Public Health England for increased awareness of the issue coincides with a warning following an inquest in Greater Manchester.

A pathologist warned of the dangers of "sofa sharing" with babies after a 21-day-old died when his grandmother fell asleep with him in her arms in Oldham.