September 2, 2020

expert reaction to the latest ONS figures for weekly deaths in England and Wales

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released the latest data for deaths in England and Wales, including deaths from COVID-19 in all settings. 

Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, Chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, University of Cambridge, said:

“A continuing feature is that over 100 a day excess deaths are occurring in private homes, corresponding to 37% more deaths than normal at home.  It would be so valuable to have an idea of the quality of these deaths, and how many might be delayed if people were accessing the health services as usual.”

Prof Sheila Bird, Formerly Programme Leader, MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, said:

“Today is the closing date for submissions to a Parliamentary Inquiry into the Coroner’s Service, including its handling of COVID-mention deaths. In England and Wales, deaths referred to coroners are not registered with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) until the coroner has determined either that no further investigation is required or cause of deaths has been determined at inquest.

“The weekly report by ONS on gives an account of deaths by their date of occurrence and registration-week. This week’s report reveals that there was a COVID-mention death on 26 March 2020 which was not registered by 21 August but was registered by 29 August 2020. The registration-delay was at least 147 days, or 21 weeks. 

“The next two earliest-occurrence, late-registered deaths (i.e. registered by 29 August but not by 21 August 2020) were on 16^th and 17^th April respectively: their registration-delay was around 18 weeks.

“The Coronavirus Act 2020 failed to put a duty on the Chief Coroner to notify ONS (and the Chief medical Officer) immediately about any suspect COVID-mention deaths that were referred to coroners. It would be prudent to amend the legislation ahead of any second wave of pandemic SARS-CoV-2.

“In the meantime, ONS might add to its monthly update on COVID-mention deaths a specific report – by gender, age, occupation and place of death – on those for whom the interval between death-occurrence and death-registration exceeded 4-weeks; and, or 12 weeks.”

Declared interests

None received.