New Office for National Statistics figures show that 8,011 deaths registered in Wales during 2025 were from causes considered preventable or treatable through effective public health measures or timely healthcare.
8,011
22.4% of all deaths
269.2
Per 100,000
219.5
Per 100,000
Age-standardised deaths per 100,000 population, under 75s
Wales’s age-standardised rate was approximately 23% higher than England’s. The Welsh rate fell by just 0.8% compared with 2024, against a 3.1% reduction in England.
Of the avoidable deaths in Wales, approximately 5,218 were classified as preventable and 2,794 as treatable.
The statistics also reveal a substantial inequality associated with deprivation. Men living in Wales’s most deprived areas experienced an avoidable mortality rate 3.8 times that of men in the least deprived areas. The equivalent difference for women was 3.3 times.
Why it matters: These figures raise important questions about public health, poverty, prevention and access to effective treatment. They also provide an evidence base for examining inequalities between Welsh communities and health boards.
Important qualification: Avoidable mortality is a statistical classification, not a finding that every individual death could certainly have been prevented. Differences between countries cannot be attributed solely to NHS performance; population health and socioeconomic conditions also matter.
