Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to help tackle maternal health inequalities in (a) Slough and (b) Berkshire.

It is unacceptable that there are such stark inequalities for women and babies. It is a priority for the Government to make sure that all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.

Actions to tackle maternal health inequalities at the Slough and East Berkshire maternity services include, but are not limited to:

- a Rapid Communication Aid, developed to assist in identifying patient needs in 30 languages;

- free midwife-led antenatal education classes in Urdu, focusing on birth preparation for over 24 weeks gestation;

- a culturally competent genetics service being established, to support informed decision-making for close relative couples;

- equity training for staff on mandatory update day; and

- the implementation of the MAMAs phone line, a triage service staffed by midwives with interpretation services.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust has also focused on addressing inequalities through measures such as improving access to perinatal mental health services and antenatal and preconception information, and by promoting an increase in folic acid uptake.

Progress has also been made nationally in recent years. As part of NHS England's three-year plan, all local areas have now published Equity and Equality action plans to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and for those living in the most deprived areas. However, we recognise that more is required. We are working closely with NHS England, and the wider sector, to identify the right actions and interventions that will deliver the required change.