Recommendations & Conclusions
6 items
1
Recommendation
Third Report - Black maternal health
Deferred
The causes of the appalling disparity in maternal deaths are multiple, complex and still not fully understood. Fixating on any one cause risks over-simplifying the problem and placing blame on the very women who are most at risk. Too many Black women have experienced treatment that falls short of acceptable …
Government response. NHS England will carry out a scoping exercise to fully understand the implications of co-ordinating a review of training curricula and continuing professional development requirements for all maternity staff.
Government Equalities Office
2
Recommendation
Third Report - Black maternal health
Acknowledged
Continuity of carer is a cornerstone of the Government and NHS commitment to deliver safer maternity services for all women. It is simply not possible to implement it safely, however, due to the considerable staffing shortages across maternity services. A fully staffed, properly funded maternity services workforce is fundamental to …
Government response. The government says NHS services will ensure the right numbers of the right staff are available to provide the best care for women and babies and that it is investing in recruitment and retention, having already invested an additional £165m …
Government Equalities Office
3
Recommendation
Third Report - Black maternal health
Accepted in Part
We note that, at the time of writing this report, the Maternity Disparities Taskforce has not met for nine months. If it continues, it must have tangible metrics to measure its success. The Government should publish measures for gauging the success of the Maternity Disparities Taskforce. It should commit to …
Government response. The government will update the Committee on a six-monthly basis on the progress of the Taskforce but will not publish minutes from the Taskforce or measures for gauging its success.
Government Equalities Office
4
Recommendation
Third Report - Black maternal health
Accepted
It is unclear how the Equity and Equality guidance will be implemented and monitored. In response to this report, NHS England should set out their approach for assessing and monitoring the strategies of local maternity services. The Government should also provide clear timescales for the roll-out of the maternal morbidity …
Government response. NHS England has reviewed local maternity systems' equity and equality action plans and will require all LMNSs to publish their plans by 31 March 2024, while also monitoring relevant data and providing regional and national support.
Government Equalities Office
5
Conclusion
Third Report - Black maternal health
Rejected
The main solutions which have been put forward by the Government and NHS are necessary but insufficient to tackle the problem of the disparity in maternal 26 Black maternal health deaths. A target for eliminating the disparity between Black and other minority ethnic women and White women, and the related …
Government response. The Government does not believe a target and strategy is the best approach towards progress and will instead measure progress against equity aims through metrics described in the Equity and Equality Guidance for Local Maternity Systems.
Government Equalities Office
6
Recommendation
Third Report - Black maternal health
Accepted in Part
Black women are regularly underrepresented in research or data and therefore in policymaking. Ethnicity data held by trusts is incomplete or inaccurate. Crucial data is delivered too slowly to the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, which delays MBRRACE-UK releasing the data and impedes their ability to evaluate progress on tackling disparities. …
Government response. NHS England will work to update the classification used for the collection of ethnicity data to include more granular information; the Operational Planning Guidance for 2023/24 recognises the importance of improving the completeness of data on patient characteristics.
Government Equalities Office