Invitation to tender: Maternal and neonatal image library

The NHS Race and Health Observatory is commissioning a new open-access photographic image library to support better diagnosis and care for mothers and babies from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

This vital resource will feature medically verified images of conditions such as jaundice, hypoxia, and sepsis across a range of skin tones—addressing a critical gap in current medical education and public health materials.

We are inviting organisations to tender for this project, which will be co-produced with parents, healthcare professionals, and community groups. The final library will be hosted on our Health Action Resource Platform (HARP) and made freely available to the NHS, voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs), stakeholders and the public.

The project will consist of the following steps:

• The successful organisation will work closely with stakeholders to ethically source high-resolution photographs of mothers and babies with a variety of skin tones, showing how common conditions present differently.
• Digital infrastructure relating to the categorisation and display of these images will then support the development of inclusive learning materials and public health campaigns, helping healthcare professionals deliver more equitable care.
• A written report will also be prepared outlining the methodology used, key insights, lessons learned and transferable recommendations for applying this approach to other clinical conditions or patient groups.

If your organisation believes it can fulfil some aspects of the proposed methodology but not all, we encourage you to consider a collaborative approach. We recognise the power of collaboration and the potential for multiple organisations to pull together their expertise and resources to achieve a greater impact.

Deadline for submissions is 5pm on 19 September 2025. For any questions and to submit your bid, please contact us by email at [email protected] after first carefully reading through the attached information pack.

More information can be found in the Invitation to Tender PDF document available here.