Risky business

Unintentional injury is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children aged one to 14 and puts more children in hospital than any other cause. The Department of Health (DH) asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce public health guidance on the prevention of unintentional injuries among children and young people aged under 15. This paper, by a member of the NICE programme development group, aims to provide an overview of the recently published guidance. The guidance focuses on strategies, regulation, enforcement, surveillance and workforce development in relation to preventing unintentional injuries in the home, on the road and during outdoor play and leisure. A summary of the main recommendations will be given and those recommendations or considerations directly applicable to community practitioners will be outlined.