“Shocking inequalities in outcomes for Black women in maternity care must be addressed urgently”, says the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) following an inquiry and publication of a report by The House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee on Black Maternal Health.
The report found systemic failings in leadership, training and ethnicity data collection among some of the issues that are preventing real progress in tackling inequalities in England.
Giving evidence to the inquiry in June the RCM also identified that commissioners and providers are not being made accountable for the failure to address deep-rooted racism and bias. These failures must be addressed if outcomes are to improve.
Clare Livingstone, Head of Policy and Practice at the RCM, said:
“It should not be the case that these inequalities exist in England today. That Black women are at greater risk during pregnancy and birth is a disgrace.
“The recommendations in this report must be acted upon urgently and everyone in maternity services must work together to tackle these shocking disparities.
“In our evidence to this inquiry the RCM called for mandatory training for all midwives that addresses unconscious bias, cultural competency and how medical conditions present in different ethnic groups.
“That training needs to happen in the workplace and must be protected. Equally the lived experience of women and their families must be at the centre of the drive to tackle existing disparities once and for all. We must really listen to these women, learn from mistakes and share good practice.
“We are pleased that the evidence the RCM gave to the inquiry around the gaps in data collection have been cited in the report. These gaps are obscuring the true extent of disparities and preventing the urgent improvements we need to see.”
The RCM have previously called for changes to the midwifery curriculum to ensure students are educated appropriately tto care for women and babies from global majority backgrounds.
In 2023 the RCM launched a first of its kind toolkit which was co-created with midwifery educators, students and service users to eliminate the continuing legacy of colonialism within midwifery education, which can disadvantage students and put pregnant women at risk.
This was followed by the publication of Decolonising Midwifery Practice in 2024 which recommended NHS Trusts and Boards update guidelines and ensure that their local policies are inclusive and reflective of varying skin tones and cultures. This includes providing advice on detecting jaundice and cyanosis in babies with varying skin tones.
The Committee’s report also highlights wider challenges facing maternity services, which the RCM has raised, including reduced funding. Previously targeted funding through the central Maternity Service Development Fund has been cut from £95 million to £2 million. The RCM has also called for this dedicated funding to be restored to support services that are struggling.
Clare added:
“Allowing sufficient time is essential to building trusting relationships between midwives and women. Vital mental and physical assessments need to take place during appointments, with midwives best placed to deliver important public health messages. With staffing pressures impacting on maternity services, we know this is not always possible.”
“This week the Government has pledged that its maternity investigation into services in England will focus on the maternity inequalities that Black, Asian and minority ethnic women face, which is something the RCM has long called for.
“We owe it to these women and their families to take collective action now. We also owe it our hardworking maternity staff who are often working in a system that doesn’t support them to make the changes they want to see as well.”
ENDS
To contact the RCM Media Office email media@rcm.org.uk or call 020 7312 3456
Notes to Editors
- Read more about the RCM’s evidence to the Black Maternal Health enquiry here
- RCM seeks to widen the lens in midwifery education to address colonialism in maternity – Royal Coll…
- RCM launches tool to tackle high levels of maternity disadvantage – Royal College of Midwives Decolonising Midwifery Practice – Royal College of Midwives
- The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance, and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences, and online resources. For more information visit the RCM | A professional organisation and trade union dedicated to serving the whole midwifery team
