Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce disparities in maternity care outcomes for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic women.

It is unacceptable that there are stark inequalities for women and babies, and it is a priority for the Government to make sure all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity. This includes taking action before women reach maternity care, as well as after they go home, with action focusing on improving both women’s experiences and outcomes.

The Government is committed to setting an explicit target to close the maternal mortality gap. We are ensuring that we take an evidence-based approach to determining what targets are set, and that any targets set are women and baby-centred.

The National Health Service’s Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services sets national measures to improve maternity and neonatal services by making care more personalised and equitable. A key objective within the plan is to reduce inequalities for all in maternity access, experience, and outcomes, seeking to improve equity for mothers and babies.

As part of the plan, all local areas have published Equity and Equality Action Plans, which set out tailored interventions that will tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic backgrounds and those living in the most deprived areas. Trusts are also implementing Version 3 of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, which provides maternity units with guidance and interventions to reduce stillbirths, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and preterm birth. The Department continues to work closely with the NHS as it delivers these initiatives.

Maternal Medicine Networks have also been established across England, which provide expert care to women with complex medical conditions before, during, and after pregnancy. To address inequalities in maternal outcomes, networks should put pathways in place to ensure equal access to specialised care for all women, and that referral criteria reflect the increased vulnerability of women from ethnic minorities and those who are socially deprived.

The Department is considering what longer term action can be taken to tackle disparities in outcomes and experience for black, Asian, and minority ethnic women. This includes working closely with NHS England, and the wider sector, to identify the right actions and interventions that will deliver the required change, both immediately, and in the future.