Observatory to support delivery of new national programme targeting racism and discrimination in maternity and neonatal care
A groundbreaking new national programme designed to address stark ethnic inequalities found in maternal and neonatal care has been established between NHS England and the NHS Race and Health Observatory.
Funded and commissioned by NHS England, the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination programme (PEADP), will see multi-disciplinary teams of perinatal experts – clinicians, including senior midwives, obstetricians, neonatal nurses and maternity and neonatal voice partnerships – collaborate with assigned partners to improve safety, culture, and ultimately outcomes for mothers, babies and families across England.
Led by the independent Observatory, three partners; Advancing Quality Alliance (AQUA), Inspiring Hope, and the White Ribbon Alliance UK have been commissioned to deliver practical support to NHS trusts to identify and respond to their local, national and regional challenges across England. Announced following UK Black Maternal Health Awareness Week, (April 20th–26th), the programme follows both NHS England’s commitment and the Government’s pledge to improve safety and reduce maternal health inequalities.
As lead delivery partner, the NHS RHO is co-ordinating inputs from AQUA, Inspiring Hope and White Ribbon Alliance UK. The programme provides a tailored offer to support leaders across every NHS perinatal service in England. Rolled out across the seven NHS regions, via 14 cohorts, the programme will support teams through a structured process to build a clear, evidence-based understanding of how racism and discrimination are experienced locally by both perinatal staff and service users.
Insights from these activities will ensure that subsequent facilitated leadership sessions and action learning sets are focused on equity, culture, and accountability and rooted in local reality, rather than generic solutions.
The work, focusing both on explicit discrimination faced by service users and staff, as well as the structural and procedural factors that lead to unequal outcomes, aims to respond to long-standing issues of inequality in maternal and neonatal care, with Black women still almost three times more likely to die around pregnancy and in the weeks following childbirth than their White counterparts.
Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said:
“We know that racism and discrimination have a significant impact on mothers and babies from ethnic minorities, and those from deprived communities.
“We are working closely with the Race and Health Observatory as part of our Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme, which will support local leaders to urgently tackle these inequities by giving perinatal teams the skills and tools they need to improve outcomes for patients and the working lives of staff.”
This latest announcement comes amid a national investigation into maternity and neonatal care announced by the government last year which will eventually outline new national recommendations following a rapid investigation into failings at 14 trusts. A new Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce chaired by the Health and Social Care Secretary to deliver urgent action on maternity was revealed in March.
Professor Habib Naqvi, Chief Executive, NHS Race and Health Observatory, said:
“The poor outcomes and disparities we continue to see in maternal and neonatal outcomes, particularly for Black women, cast a long shadow over the service. Whilst the emotional, human cost is unacceptable and can never be measured, the damage caused is also costing the NHS billions. We are delighted that perinatal teams across England are taking part in an innovative programme that will improve the lives of countless mothers and babies across the country.The PEADP programme marks a critical step forward in embedding anti-discriminatory practice across maternity services and in driving meaningful change.”
Dr Nandi Simpson, Director, Implementation, NHS Race and Health Observatory, said:
“We are delighted to be working with NHS England to deliver the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme. The Observatory will lead a strategic partnership with Aqua, Inspiring Hope, and White Ribbon Alliance UK to deliver the programme, addressing long-standing and stark racial inequities in maternal and neonatal health. Through the programme we will support perinatal leaders in every service in England to undertake changes that embed equity and anti-discrimination at the heart of policies and practices.
“We welcome the leadership shown by NHS England in naming racism and committing resources to address the harms caused by it through practical action. This is a vital foundation for reform and the starting point for rebuilding trust with our diverse community of mothers, parents, carers and families.”
The Observatory has published its Seven Anti-Racism Principles resource, along with briefings, to highlight the importance of demonstrating leadership by naming racism, understanding, and acknowledging how racism in all its different forms impacts individuals, health and outcomes.