Maternal Mortality: Ethnic Groups

(asked on 29th June 2021) - View Source

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Race Disparity Unit has taken to support the Department of Health and Social Care in reducing maternal mortality rates among black women.


Answered by
Kemi Badenoch Portrait
Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
This question was answered on 6th July 2021

The government is committed to understanding and addressing the ethnic disparities in maternal mortality rates. Maternal deaths are fortunately rare and overall women’s experiences of maternity care are positive, but it remains important we encourage every expectant mother to engage with NHS maternity services so they get the support they are entitled to.

I have been supporting the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in this area since last summer. This includes co-hosting a roundtable discussion on maternal mortality rates for ethnic minority women in September 2020, which identified the need for more intelligent use of data to target action.

Following this, officials in the Race Disparity Unit have been working with DHSC colleagues to understand how data can be disaggregated and flow more easily among NHS agencies, and research bodies. They have also been supporting DHSC officials on initiatives such as the new £7.6m Health and Wellbeing Fund that will support 19 projects to reduce health inequalities among new mothers and babies.

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