Written Question
Tuesday 9th November 2021
Asked by:
Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question
to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) reduce inequalities in healthcare and (b) prevent the avoidable death of Asian and Asian British babies.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The NHS Long Term Plan (2019) sets out a systematic approach to reducing health inequalities and addressing unwarranted variation in care by targeting a higher share of funding towards geographies with high health inequalities than would have been allocated using solely the core needs formulae. As a condition of receiving Long Term Plan funding, all major national programmes and every local area across England is required to set out specific measurable goals and mechanisms by which they will contribute to narrowing health inequalities by 2029.
On 1 October, we launched the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Reducing health disparities is one of the core aims of the office and it will set out its plans for delivering on this objective in due course
To improve equity for mothers and babies from Black, Asian and Mixed ethnic groups, NHS England and NHS Improvement published ‘Equity and Equality: Guidance for Local Maternity Systems’ on 6 September, which can be found at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/equity-and-equality-guidance-for-local-maternity-systems/
This guidance asks Local Maternity Systems (LMS) to produce an equity and equality analysis (covering health outcomes, community assets and staff experience) by 30 November 2021; and to co-produce an action plan to improve equity for mothers and babies from minority ethnic and other backgrounds, and race equality for NHS maternity staff by 28 February 2022. The guidance is supported by a £6.8 million investment.
LMS are being asked to include four interventions to prevent avoidable deaths of babies in their action plans: (1) targeted and enhanced continuity of carer with 75% of women from Black, Asian and Mixed ethic groups receiving continuity of carer by 2024 and additional midwifery time to support women from the most deprived areas, (2) smoke-free pregnancy pathways for mothers and their partners, (3) breastfeeding strategies to improve breastfeeding rates for women living in the most deprived areas, and (4) culturally-sensitive genetics services for consanguineous couples. The guidance is supported by a £6.8 million investment, which will support Local Maternity Systems to implement Equity and Equality Action Plans and implement targeted and enhanced Continuity of Carer.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 29 Oct 2021
Menopause (Support and Services) Bill
"Is it me or is it warm in here? That is one of the issues we have to raise to get rid of the taboo of the menopause. How many of us have gone around saying that most days in the last few years?
I welcome the Bill of the …..."Nickie Aiken - View Speech
View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: Menopause (Support and Services) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 29 Oct 2021
Menopause (Support and Services) Bill
"My hon. Friend makes several good points. This is a good workplace in which to bring the menopause to the forefront.
We have to start a public health campaign on the menopause. We have to ensure that it is not just women in their late 40s and early 50s who …..."Nickie Aiken - View Speech
View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: Menopause (Support and Services) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 21 Oct 2021
World Menopause Month
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View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: World Menopause Month
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 21 Oct 2021
World Menopause Month
"I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention.
I had a discussion with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care this week about the costs of HRT and the stresses and strains on the NHS budget following covid, which I understand. With this in mind, will the Minister …..."Nickie Aiken - View Speech
View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: World Menopause Month
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 23 Sep 2021
Baby Loss Awareness Week
"Does my hon. Friend agree that it is an amazing achievement for her to bring this debate today and that she will get cross-party support from all of us?..."Nickie Aiken - View Speech
View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: Baby Loss Awareness Week
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 23 Sep 2021
Baby Loss Awareness Week
"I thank my dear friend, my hon. Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth (Cherilyn Mackrory), for having the bravery we have seen here today, but also for how, throughout her time in this place, she has fought and campaigned very bravely for those who have experienced the loss that …..."Nickie Aiken - View Speech
View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: Baby Loss Awareness Week
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 23 Sep 2021
Baby Loss Awareness Week
"I thank the hon. Member for her intervention, and I think it is clear from the debate today that there needs to be more support for women and their partners when they experience miscarriage. I will never forget, when I became pregnant with my daughter, how terrified I was of …..."Nickie Aiken - View Speech
View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: Baby Loss Awareness Week
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 23 Sep 2021
Baby Loss Awareness Week
"I thank the hon. Member for her intervention, and she is absolutely right. We are blessed in this country with having so many outstanding charities and organisations that support women and their partners when they are experiencing baby loss.
The Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust study has revealed some incredible …..."Nickie Aiken - View Speech
View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: Baby Loss Awareness Week
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 23 Sep 2021
Baby Loss Awareness Week
"Does my hon. Friend agree that it is so important to understand the mental health issues that can surround pregnancies and can occur soon after birth? We need a better understanding of that...."Nickie Aiken - View Speech
View all Nickie Aiken (Con - Cities of London and Westminster) contributions to the debate on: Baby Loss Awareness Week