FSID welcomes proposals for new multi-agency protocol 

25 May 2007

Statement from the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) in response to Jonathan Gornall’s report ‘Protection for the innocent’ published in the British Medical Journal, 26 May 2007

 

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) welcomes the proposals for new multi-agency protocol in response to sudden infant deaths, which is set to become law in April 2008, and celebrates the achievement of its ‘Responding When a Baby Dies’ campaign.

Since 2000 with the introduction of the ‘Responding When a Baby Dies’ campaign, FSID has played an active role in advising professions involved with sudden infant death to have more comprehensive and standardised enquiries, with multi-agency practices. With this campaign, FSID succeeded in getting many areas involved in sudden infant deaths to follow these processes voluntarily.

Reinforcing the strength of the campaign, FSID also became a member of the Kennedy panel which formed in 2004. The Kennedy Committee report incorporated the recommendations of FSID’s campaign, and helped establish the procedures outlined in the proposed reforms.

Joyce Epstein, FSID Director says: The new reforms will mean local boards will gather vital information on sudden infant deaths in their regions, and give adequate support for parents who experience the tragedy of having a baby die suddenly and unexpectedly. This is a major achievement for the ‘Responding When a Baby Dies’ campaign, and we hope that this will help to reduce the number of sudden infant deaths which is still the biggest killer of babies over one month old.

-ENDS-


For further information or an interview call FSID Communications Officer Stacey Kerr on 020 7227 5210

 

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