High hospital admission rate for Warrington child injuries

Public Health England data shows there were 495 hospital admissions caused by unintentional and deliberate injuries to children aged up to 14 in Warrington in 2019-20.

This equates to 133 admissions for every 10,000 youngsters in the area, demonstrating a rise compared to the previous year's figure of 112.

The rate is one of the highest in the country, with the average across England being 91 admissions per 10,000 children.

Unintentional injuries – which make up the majority of admissions according to Child Accident Prevention Trust – refer to external causes of harm.

These include sporting accidents, falls and burns, while deliberate injuries include different types of assaults and deliberate self-harm.

Warrington Hospital

Across England, there were 93,000 hospital admissions due to children suffering injuries in 2019-20, with more than one million over the past decade.

As part of Child Safety Week, CAPT says parents can help bring the number of injuries down by staying one step ahead of their developing children.

Running between June 7 and 13, the annual community education campaign aims to prompt safety conversations among families.

Katrina Phillips, chief executive of the charity, said: “It is every parent’s worst nightmare, rushing their child to hospital, gripped by anxiety about just how serious the accident may be, and it is a fear experienced by tens of thousands of families each year.

“Accidents often happen when young children can suddenly do something they could not the day before, such as reaching a hot drink, crawling to the stairs or opening painkillers.

“For older children, accidents most often occur when they are out cycling or walking.”

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Hospital admissions varied significantly nationwide, due to different admission policies in hospitals, deprivation and overcrowding.

In Warrington, toddlers were more likely to end up in hospital than those aged five and over, according to PHE.

In 2019-20, children aged up for four years old accounted for 180 hospital admissions – 155 in every 10,000.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said parents and carers should arm themselves with knowledge and information to protect children from injuries around the house.

Between 2017-18 and 2019-20, the most common unintentional injuries – of those which PHE provides figures on – to toddlers in England came from falls, accidental poisoning and exposure to inanimate mechanical forces, which includes cuts from sharp objects such as knives.

In Warrington, there were 175, 35 and 90 such incidents respectively during this period.