Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted in Part
Black women are regularly underrepresented in research or data and therefore in policymaking.
Recommendation
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. We recommend that: • The Office for National Statistics, NHS England, hospital trusts and all relevant stakeholders should work with the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU) to minimise delays in the delivery of data. The NPEU should provide us with a progress update on this work within 12 months of the date of publication of this report. • NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) and NHS Digital must prioritise the accurate and complete capture of ethnicity data and ensure their new system for ethnicity data captures granular level data on ethnicity. NHSEI should provide us with a progress update on the implementation of this system within 12 months of the date of publication of this report. • The Maternity Disparities Taskforce must ensure a minimum number of seats or spaces at each meeting is reserved for representatives of organisations run by and for Black women. Part of the Taskforce’s focus over the next 12 months should be on working with stakeholders to ensure Black women can be better represented in maternal health research; both as participants and researchers. (Paragraph 59) Black maternal health 27
Government Response Summary
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 Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
32. There is an agreed review and clearance process for all National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme reports, which include the maternal deaths and morbidity confidential enquiries reports and the perinatal mortality surveillance reports. For these types of reports, the sign off process takes three months. For data only releases, there is a shortened review process. The sign off process and timescales are agreed with suppliers as part of the tender process. 33. Building on learning from the pandemic, NHS England is undertaking work to improve the recording of patient characteristics in frontline services. NHS England’s Operational Planning Guidance for 2023/248 recognises the importance of improving the completeness of data on patient characteristics. This is one five strategic priorities in our drive to reduce healthcare inequalities. We have therefore asked systems to continue to improve the collection and recording of ethnicity data across primary care, outpatients, A&E, mental health, community services, and specialised commissioning. NHS England will also work to update the classification used for collection of ethnicity data to include more granular information. 34. Ethnic coding data completeness has improved since the Maternity Services Data Set version 2 was introduced in April 2019. This has increased from 85% in 2019 to 93% in 2022. 35. NHS Resolution’s Maternity Incentive Scheme9 supports the delivery of safer care by giving trusts a significant financial incentive to achieve 10 safety actions. Safety action 2 supports data quality improvement. For year four of the scheme, the ethnic coding data quality standard is 90%, which is an increase from 80% in year three. Not stated, missing and not known are not valid records for this assessment as they are only to be used in exceptional circumstances.