NPMR Objectives

  1. Provide a system for continuous national surveillance of all deaths in children aged 0 to 18 completed years in Ireland, regardless of cause occurring both in hospital and in the community. 

     (Data on deaths occurring in maternity hospitals will be collected by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit.) 

  2. Collect, complete, standardised and timely data from multiple sources on the magnitude and characteristics of CYP deaths in Ireland. 

  3. Build an epidemiological database of information on all CYP deaths and provide a critical analysis of data to identify trends and subsequent recommendations on factors impacting on child mortality. 

  4. Conduct audit, quality improvement and research relating to the occurrence and underlying causes of CYP deaths and use this information to inform policy aimed at improving outcomes and reducing the number of child deaths. 

  5. Liaise with senior decision makers at both policy and operational level to implement  recommendations arising from this work. 

Benefits of NPMR

The benefits and quality improvement potential of a national operational NPMR are that it:

  • provides accurate national mortality rates for the CYP population in Ireland and improves accuracy in the reporting of child mortality statistics

  • allows for population-based surveillance of child deaths for the purpose of monitoring trends

  • provides baseline information for identifying broader areas of concern that requires further attention, and for informing the agenda for paediatric audit (e.g. highlighting differences between groups and identifying those who are at greater risk)

  • provides actionable data in order to inform and evaluate public health policy that is relevant to CYP mortality in Ireland

  • facilitates the incorporation of all relevant paediatric autopsy information

  • allows for the evaluation of the accuracy and quality of cause of death registration information

  • provides information to contribute to the development of benchmarks for reporting and categorising child deaths

  • provides national data to support the development of the recommended child death review process.

Health Professionals

All cases of paediatric death should be reported to the NPMR. If you wish to notify the NPMR of a case, please email npmr@noca.ie and a Child Death Notification form will be issued to you for completion.