WIREDGOV

Key Findings

• Deaths from potentially avoidable causes accounted for approximately 23% of all deaths registered in England and Wales in 2012.
• The leading cause of avoidable death was ischaemic heart disease in males and lung cancer in females. In 2012, these conditions represented 22% and 15% of all avoidable male and female deaths respectively in England and Wales.
• Avoidable mortality rates were significantly higher in Wales than in England throughout the period 2001–12.
• Avoidable mortality rates varied across the regions of England and tended to be highest in the North of England and lowest in the South and East of England over the period 2001–12.
• Between 2001 and 2006 cardiovascular diseases were the leading contributors to avoidable deaths. However, since 2007, the group of neoplasms (cancers and non-cancerous abnormal tissue growths) included in the avoidable mortality definition have taken over as the leading cause of avoidable deaths and have remained so since.
• There has been no significant decrease in the mortality rate from neoplasms that are considered to be avoidable since 2009.