Concerns over Kent's 'highest accidental death rate'

Councillor Sarah Hudson(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)

A county councillor has expressed "deep concerns" about a report from an influential charity which shows Kent has the highest number of accidental deaths in the country. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said the 624 fatalities in Kent and Medway, accounting for three per cent of the total for England and Wales.

Kent County Council (KCC) Conservative Sarah Hudson says serious questions have been raised over whether enough is being done to protect the vulnerable. RoSPA's review brings together the latest national data on accidental deaths and hospital admissions across road, home, work and leisure settings.

The charity warned: "It shows accidents remain a leading cause of preventable harm, despite being predictable and avoidable." The most common causes of accidental deaths are falls, poisoning (including drugs), road traffic collisions, choking or exposure to fire and smoke.

The charity, whose Patron is King Charles, said cross the UK, accidental deaths rose by eight per cent in a single year, killing an estimated 23,000 people. RoSPA said the high mortality rates could be linked to factors such as deprivation, age and unsafe environments.

The national eight per cent rise in accidental deaths was driven by sharp increases in falls (12 per cent), accidental poisonings (10 per cent) and injuries caused by objects, such as being struck or crushed by machinery (13 per cent), according to the 2023 figures. While Kent's numbers of accidental deaths is high the concentration rate per 100,000 people is around 30, which is lower than Wales (44), Northern Ireland and England overall (32).

Accidents cost the NHS around £6 billion a year and accounting for at least 5.2m bed days and further £6bn to the economy annually through lost working days. Becky Hickman, CEO of RoSPA, said: "Accidents devastate lives in an instant.

"They are often sudden, violent, and shocking, leaving families and communities to cope with consequences that can last a lifetime. What makes this devastation even harder to bear is the knowledge that so many of these incidents are entirely preventable.

"Our Annual Review of Accidents shows we are still not doing enough to reduce avoidable harm, life-changing injuries and personal tragedies. People in Britain are at increasing and unacceptable risk of suffering a serious accident, and it is those who are already vulnerable - young children, the elderly, and people in deprived communities - who are in the greatest danger."

Cllr Hudson said: "I am deeply concerned that the RoSPA report identifies Kent as having the highest number of accidental deaths in England and Wales. This raises serious questions about whether enough is being done to protect our most vulnerable residents."

She has called on KCC's adult social care bosses to "urgently" investigate the causes behind the figures and set out what actions can be taken to protect life. Kent County Council was approached for comment.