Birth Companions welcomes the announcement by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting of a national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services. We are particularly encouraged by the explicit inclusion of a focus on the devastating inequalities experienced by Black and Asian women, and those living in the most deprived areas of the country. It is vital that focus also extends to the particular and myriad issues experienced by refugee and asylum-seeking women, whose maternity care is so often undermined by hostile environment policies, including NHS charging, and by poor interpretation services.
Reports regularly highlight the extent to which women living amidst disadvantage and discrimination face significantly poorer outcomes in maternity care, in terms of their own health and wellbeing, and that of their baby. These inequities are rooted not only in systemic failings within the NHS, but also in the broader social determinants of health, including poverty, racism, insecure housing, and immigration status.
This investigation must mark a turning point. It must lead to urgent, sustained action to erase these inequities and ensure that every woman—regardless of her background, ethnicity, or circumstances—receives safe, compassionate, and consistent care throughout pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood. We are pleased to see that the investigation will be co-produced with those with lived experience, and that it will include an anti-discrimination programme to tackle the structural barriers that continue to harm women.
At Birth Companions, we have long advocated for maternity care that recognises and responds to the complex needs of women facing disadvantage. We stand ready to contribute to this investigation and to work alongside others to build a maternity system that truly delivers equity, dignity, and safety for all.
To discuss these issues or further comment, please contact Kirsty Kitchen [email protected].
