Nursing And Health Assignment Two Government White Paper – Our Healthier Nation Key Area – Accidents Tutor – Karen Clarke By Natalie Me rga Introduction In this assignment I will be discussing the Governments aims in regards to reducing injury and death from accidents as proposed in the white paper ‘ Our Healthier Nation’. Accidents are responsible for over 10, 000 deaths a year, they are the single greatest threat to children and young people. Those that come from a poorer background are at an increased risk of dying from an accident and the elderly are more likely to die or become disabled as a result of a fall. Accidents such as those that happen on our roads or in our home can be prevented. Deaths from fires or drowning can be reduced. The governments proposals for reducing death and injury are based on prevention through advice and education made possible by coordinating with local councils, schools, primary health care team and the public.
Their targets are to reduce deaths from accidents by at least a fifth and reduce injury from accidents by at least a tenth, which would save a total of 12, 000 lives by 2010. Road Accidents One of the Governments main aims is to reduce road traffic accidents in children and young adults aged 16 to 24. The road is a very dangerous place. Approximately 3, 500 people are killed and 40, 000 injured on our roads every year. The majority of these being children and young adults.
The Government has set targets to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by road accidents by 40%, to reduce death or injury to children on roads by 50% and to reduce slight injuries by 10%. These targets are outlined in the government’s road safety strategy, which was published in March 2000. The strategy sets out an ‘Extensive programme of measures designed to make the roads safer for children, pedestrians and cyclists, to improve driver training and testing and to improve the safety of vehicles’ (web – 28. 11.
03) Government departments working in conjunction with local authorities and the general public have set out many measures to reduce road accidents. Some of these include; Reducing traffic by making walking and cycling safer. This is to be done by providing more pedestrian crossings and improving footpaths. Town and city centres are to establish more traffic free zones and pedestrian only areas.
More Cycling lanes are to be provided and existing lanes improved and maintained. One of the main issues outlined by the white paper is the school run. Many parents now drive their children to school and by doing this increase the volume of traffic on the roads at certain times of the day. This increases the risk of road accidents. Although designated crossings and lollypop men / women are already provided, the ‘Safe and Sound Challenge Scheme was introduced by government departments in January 1999. It challenged all schools and local authorities to come up with practical ideas for getting children to and from school safely without the need for individual car journeys.
Successful schemes proposed have been; Road sense and cyclist training in schools, safe cycle parking in schools, using more public transport and using crocodile chains where a group of children are counted and escorted to and from school in a linked chain by an appointed adult. Another major problem is speeding. Schemes to reduce speeding vehicles such as speed bumps and speed cameras have been implemented. Nationwide campaigns using TV advertisements outline the dangers of speeding. However it is not only pedestrians and cyclists that are at risk on our roads.
Drivers are to be educated more about road safety. Driving tests expect extensive observation of the roads and being able to an emergency stop properly is essential. Campaigns on TV about drink driving and the risks of not wearing a seatbelt or child restraint are graphic and really get the point across. Even the use of hand held mobile phones whilst driving has been made illegal to try and improve driver’s concentration.
Accidents In The Home ‘Each year there are about 2. 7 million accidents in the home which necessitate a visit to hospital. Of these accidents almost 4, 000 are fatal. By far the biggest cause of these accidents are falls, which account for 40% of the non-fatal injuries and 46% of all deaths’ (web 1. 12.
03) Of these deaths 80% are elderly people over the age of 65. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) launched the ‘Avoiding Trips, Slips And Broken Hips’ campaign which gives advice on the prevention of falls to the elderly or their carers. Advice such as keeping stairs clear and well lit can prevent accidents. They also state that older people who keep mobile are less likely to fall. Although the DTI are not directly involved in the falls campaign anymore they now fund Help The Aged to continue the work. In addition to falls over 100, 000 people a year visit hospital due to burns and scalds.
45% of these are children under 5. The fire department and the government have launched campaigns about reducing the risks of fires. Advice includes; extinguishing cigarettes and candles properly, Checking electrical products for faulty plugs or wiring, making an escape plan in advance and more importantly getting a smoke alarm and checking it works on a regular basis. By doing this, lives can be saved. The home can be a dangerous place for children with potential hazards around every corner. These hazards can be prevented by simple measures and common sense such as keeping hot drinks, hot kettles or pans out of reach, Running cold water in a bath before the hot water and by installing fire guards thus preventing burns and scalds.
Chemicals, detergents and medicines should be kept out of sight and out of reach of children and any toys given to a child should be appropriate for their age group with no small parts to prevent choking. Children are not the only ones at risk in the home. Every year there are approximately 70 deaths and 250, 000 injuries due to DIT in the home, these can be prevented by wearing suitable safety gear and taking extreme care. Anyone doing DIY should know what he or she are doing and if in doubt should not attempt it. Accidents At Work All employers are obliged to provide a safe working environment for their employees. The Health And Safety Executive has begun a strategy to do more to address Health and Safety at work.
Risk assessments should be carried out by employers to identify any significant hazards. Training about the correct way to lift heavy objects and use VDU’s should be provided. Any person working with hazardous substances should be aware COSH H regulations. Safety wear and equipment where needed should be provided. Accidents During Leisure Activities Leisure activities such as drowning, near drowning and deaths and injury caused during play and sport are also a major factor. Under 5’s are the most vulnerable group.
In this group, deaths or injury due to drowning are most likely to occur in or very close to the home. Places of risk are garden ponds or pools and in the bath. ‘For the youngest children, a factor associated with most deaths was the lack of adult supervision at the time of the incident’ (Towner, E et al – page 45) Midwives, Health Visitors and other members of the primary health care team are advising parents and carers of children of potential hazards and the solutions, such as; full bath time supervision and closely monitoring children near any water. Garden ponds or pools where possible should be suitably fenced off or covered to prevent access.
In the over 5’s group, death from drowning is more common in boys than girls and the risk increases during summer months. Hazardous areas include reservoirs, lakes, ponds or even the sea. The most effective way to prevent drowning in older children is to teach them the dangers of water and to teach them to swim. Many schools offer government funded swimming lessons.
If a child wants to go swimming they should be accompanied with an adult and should go somewhere where lifeguards are provided. Other than drowning, all children and some adults are at risk when playing or taking part in sports. Public parks and playground equipment must conform to British safety standards. Shock absorbing floor surfaces and adult supervision can prevent accidents in children when playing. Safety equipment is encouraged when taking part in sports.
For example schools and parents should advise for helmets to be worn when skating, cycling or horse riding. Conclusion To conclude, if advice is listened to, precautions are put in place and care is taken many of the deaths and injuries caused by accidents can be prevented. The Governments aims are reachable and by putting forward the proposals the mention unnecessary death and injury can be avoided and reduced Bibliography Web Sites Health And Safety Executive – web > Department Of Trade And Industry – web > Fire Prevention – web > Our Healthier Nation – web > Department Of Health – web > Books Towner, E, Dows well, T, Simpson, G, & Jarvis, S – Health Promotion in Childhood and Young Adolescence for the Prevention of Unintentional Injuries. Health Education Authority (1996) Videos Play It Safe – BBC Education (1992) Publications Governments White Paper – Our Healthier Nation.