FOI reference: FOI-2024-2218

You asked

In relation to the following FOI-2024-2163:

Unfortunately, as ICD88.0 WM is a rare disease, most of the data at lower levels of geography is redacted (<5 is returned as 0).

There must be some methods of at least stating 'some deaths' or 'no deaths' have been recorder at LAD level or similar? This would not compromise personal privacy, as the level of information would simply be 'someone in this LAD has died with cause of death = WM'.

We said

Thank you for your request. 

The number of deaths due to Waldenström macroglobulinaemia, ICD10 code C88.0, by local authority and year of registration are available to download from the NOMIS data portal. However, as you have stated, small numbers are rounded to 0 or 5 when extracting data by local authority for any given year. 

One option would be to aggregate several years of data together so that we can provide the numbers you require at local authority level. 

As we have not produced the exact data you require, the requested information would therefore need to be created as a custom output. Please note these services are subject to legal frameworks, disclosure control, resources and agreements of costs in line with our charging policy.    

Please contact Health.Data@ons.gov.uk for more information.    

As this information is reasonably accessible via another route, even if only accessible on payment, Section 21(2)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) applies.