THE number of child deaths in Cumbria remains low, according to a new report.

Members of Cumberland Council's health and wellbeing board heard an update at a meeting at Allerdale House in Workington on Friday (April 5).

Colin Cox, the council's director of public health and communities, took members through the Cumbria Child Death Overview Panel Annual Report 2022/23.

He told the board that he hoped that they would not have to wait too long for the 2023/24 report and the panel operates across the "Cumbria footprint" although he felt that it would be preferable to operate within the footprint of the various integrated care boards.

Mr Cox said that the numbers for Cumbria were "quite low" and that a total of 18 deaths were reported which, according to the report, was the first time in five years the number had been below 20.

He said 11 had been signed off during 2022/23 but some may have been from the previous year because it took time to get them processed.

Mr Cox said only one case was due to deliberate abuse or injury and that such cases were rare. He said that four out of the 11 cases had a modifiable health factor such as maternal smoking – he said in one case the modifiable factor was "maternal involvement in lambing" which could spread infection.

Council leader councillor Mark Fryer (St Johns and Great Clifton, Labour) said: "Thank goodness they are low numbers."

And Mr Cox said: "Most of the time there was very little that we could have done differently."

Members of the board agreed with the report's recommendations and noted its contents.