Black women in England are facing significant disparities and are being overlooked in maternity care, as highlighted by Members of Parliament (MPs). A recent inquiry by the Health and Social Committee emphasized that racism plays a crucial role in these disparities, pointing out systemic issues in leadership, training, data management, and accountability.
Recent statistics reveal that Black women are 2.3 times more likely to experience adverse outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postnatal period compared to White women. The committee’s report condemns the failure to address deeply ingrained inequalities in maternity care as unjust, leading to substantial human and systemic costs, including financial burdens on healthcare services and a decline in public trust.
MPs noted that the shortcomings in care for Black women are occurring within a broader failing maternity system. It was also highlighted that the NHS in England has incurred significant costs due to maternity negligence, surpassing the total maternity budget for the same period.
Paulette Hamilton, the acting chair of the committee, stressed the importance of a healthcare workforce that listens to, understands, and respects the needs of Black women for ensuring safe maternal care. The report underscores the necessity for adequately prepared, equipped, and resourced maternal services, with effective and accountable leadership, which is currently lacking.
The Labour MP reiterated the prevalence of structural racism within maternity services that disproportionately affects Black women. Addressing racial disparities in maternal outcomes must be a primary focus of investigations to bring about a pivotal change in England’s maternity services, particularly for Black women to achieve equity.
The committee has called on the Department of Health and Social Care to collaborate with key stakeholders to introduce mandatory cultural competency training for midwives, directly informed by the experiences of Black women. Additionally, a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by Health Secretary Wes Streeting and comprising experts and bereaved families, has been established to address these issues, with the investigation expected to conclude in December.
