Image: The mortality rate for a child of this age is NOT rising in Scotland

There has been a worrying increase in the mortality rate for those aged 10-19, up from 19.5 in 2014, to 24.5 BUT for those under 9, the change from 9.3 to 9.7 is not statistically significant. Also, given the well-evidenced effects of Tory austerity, such as the decline in overall life expectancy for women, this can be considered a sign that SNP policies to compensate may be holding-off comparable damage to the life-chances of young Scots.

Further evidence of this can be seen in the diverging infant mortality rates in Scotland (lower and holding) and in England & Wales (higher and climbing):

https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000420

Down the page, the Scotsman allows us this:

‘Despite the increase in adolescent and child mortality, the number of deaths in babies under one year old per 1,000 live births fell from 3.6 to 3.2, the lowest in the UK.‘

https://www.scotsman.com/health/rise-number-young-scots-dying-prompts-political-call-leading-doctor-2027238

Is there a headline there, we wonder?