Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve maternity (1) curriculums, and (2) guidance, in order to better assess women and babies from (a) black, and (b) ethnic minority, communities.

Health Education England (HEE) is working with NHS England to review and update the existing ‘Cultural Competence’ e-learning resources to support clinicians to understand culture and health and how it may influence healthcare outcomes. HEE is hosting a meeting on maternity education and training in July 2022, which will focus on the education and training implications of the Ockenden report. This will include course content and curriculum, career development and transition to work.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) considers the need to reduce health inequalities in developing its evidence-based guideline recommendations. Where there is evidence of differences in symptoms, diagnosis, or treatment for different population groups, NICE seeks to ensure that this is addressed in its guidelines.