• regional reports

A recent development in Northern Ireland shows much promise for injury control in the province. A new electronic injury surveillance system has been introduced at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, our only paediatric hospital. Information on the cause of injury is being collected on all children presenting to the accident and emergency department. The first six months' data has been examined for completeness and accuracy.

Of the 11 683 cases, 4567 (39%) were injuries and of these 3883 (85%) had complete coded injury surveillance data—external cause, location, activity, intent. The free text narrative was used to assess the accuracy of the coding of external cause of injury and 71% were deemed …