Letter

Accidents needn’t happen

Dear healthmatters — I was pleased to read Mandy Moore’s article on preventing accidents in issue 4 of healthmatters. It was a thoughtful and challenging piece which succinctly presents the problem and highlights the opportunity — and the difficulty — of taking a more structured approach in the UK.

Perhaps I may contribute two further thoughts. First, we might begin to allay fatalistic attitudes by changing our vocabulary: talking about “injury” or “preventable casualty” instead of “accident”.

Second, collaboration needs a starting point, someone prepared to take the lead. In many instances this could be the health service, uniquely placed because of its access to injury information and its range of influential contacts, both with those at risk and with other agencies.

I look forward to seeing injury prevention increasingly recognised as an important health need, with strategies and services being designed to meet it. RoSPA is keen to help make this possible.