Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Amos Review interim report's findings regarding reports of racism and stereotyping in maternity and neonatal services; and what steps are being considered to respond to these issues.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The interim report of the national independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal care, chaired by Baroness Amos, underlines the unacceptable experiences of some women and their families due to racism and discrimination.
The investigation aims to identify the drivers and impact of inequalities faced by women, babies and families from Black and Asian backgrounds as well as deprived and marginalised groups. A coherent single set of national recommendations will be published by the investigation in June, which the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will address by developing a new action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
We are not waiting for the investigation to report. We are taking immediate actions, including a programme in all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, while local systems are all implementing their Equity and Equality action plans. We have also launched a ‘Maternal Care Bundle’ which includes best practice for clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death for women from Black and Asian backgrounds.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to identify and tackle systemic causes of avoidable harm in maternity and neonatal services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
While the vast majority of births in England are safe, we know that systemic causes of avoidable harm exist in maternity and neonatal services, and this is not acceptable.
This is why my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, asked Baroness Amos to lead an independent investigation in National Health Service maternity and neonatal care to help us understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. The investigation will publish its final report and recommendations in June 2026.
The Government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The taskforce will address the recommendations of the investigation by developing a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care. The taskforce will also hold the system to account for improving outcomes and experiences for women and babies.
We are not waiting to take action. We have already recruited over 800 more midwives, we’re investing over £140 million to address critical safety risks on the maternity estate, and we are rolling out guidance to tackle the leading causes of maternal death. We are also rolling out programmes to tackle discrimination and racism and avoidable brain injuries.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in reducing disparities in health outcomes between ethnic groups; and how that progress is monitored and evaluated.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is a priority for the Government to increase the amount of time people spend in good health and prevent premature deaths, with an ambitious commitment to halve the healthy life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest regions.
Our 10-Year Health Plan for England sets out a reimagined service designed to tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes. This includes tackling the conditions where there are the greatest disparities for ethnic groups.
In England, the maternal mortality rates are significantly higher among women from Black and Asian ethnic backgrounds. To combat this, we are introducing an anti-discrimination programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, and have published a ‘Maternal Care Bundle’, which includes best practice for the clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death for women from Black and Asian backgrounds.
NHS England have launched a Maternity and Neonatal Equalities dashboard that brings together key information to address health inequalities in maternity and neonatal care services from a range of data sources, with breakdowns by ethnicity and deprivation to make health inequalities visible, measurable, and actionable in maternity and neonatal services.
We have also legislated to modernise the Mental Health Act to give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout their treatment which will seek to address some of the disparities between ethnic groups. The Government is also committed to delivering the cross-sector Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. The ambitions outlined in the strategy include research on, and better understanding of, national trends and suicide rates in particular groups, including ethnic minority groups.
We have published a plan designed to transform cancer outcomes and we are determined to close inequalities in screening and early diagnosis for ethnic minority communities and underserved communities through our new Neighbourhood Early Diagnosis Fund, which is part of £200 million for Cancer Alliances.
There are ethnic inequalities that exist across the cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathway, that is, from the prevention of disease, through to treatment and rehabilitation after a CVD event. To address this, the Department and NHS England are working together to deliver the CVD Modern Service Framework and are engaging widely throughout its development. At the heart of this is engagement with people and communities, including through the Race Equality Engagement Group.
Asked by: Paul Waugh (Labour (Co-op) - Rochdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve maternity care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I remain deeply concerned by the state of maternity care we inherited in the NHS.
The Secretary of State announced a rapid, independent investigation in NHS Maternity and Neonatal services to help us understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care. The investigation, led by Baroness Amos is looking into the maternity and neonatal system nationally and will bring together the findings of past reviews into one clear national set of recommendations, and will publish its final report and recommendations in the Spring 2026.
The government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The Taskforce will address the recommendations of the Investigation by developing a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
We are not waiting for the investigation to report. We are taking immediate actions to boost accountability and safety as part of the government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future. This includes a new early warning system to better identify safety concerns, implementing a new programme to reduce brain injuries in childbirth, rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, investing over £149 million into the maternity estate, and new best practice standards in maternal mortality.
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address inequalities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among women from deprived or marginalised backgrounds.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that there are stark inequalities for women and babies, and that they should receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.
Baroness Amos is chairing the National Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation which aims to identify the drivers and impact of inequalities faced by women, babies, and families from Black and Asian backgrounds, as well as deprived and marginalised groups.
The Government is committed to setting an explicit target to close the maternal mortality gap. We are ensuring that we take an evidence-based approach to determining what targets are set, and that any targets set are women and baby-centred.
NHS England’s Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme aims to ensure that all service users and their families receive care that is free from discrimination and racism. Local Maternity and Neonatal Systems have published Equity and Equality action plans containing evidence-based interventions to support women and families from ethnic minority backgrounds or economically deprived areas. NHS England also launched the Maternal Care Bundle that sets clear standards across all services, focused on the main causes of maternal death and harm. The Maternal Care Bundle is avaiable on the NHS.UK website. Women from Black and Asian backgrounds are more at risk of specific clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death. This bundle targets these conditions, and we expect a decline in deaths and harm.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of long working hours and workforce burnout on staff wellbeing, retention and safe staffing levels within the NHS.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We know from engagement on the 10-Year Health Plan that many National Health Service staff feel disempowered and overwhelmed. Tackling this and providing proper support for staff is a top priority. NHS organisations have a responsibility to create supportive working environments for staff, ensuring they have the conditions they need to thrive, including access to high quality health and wellbeing support.
The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will have a focus on supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. This includes the development of a new set of staff standards for modern employment, which will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention and are likely to focus on flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace. Additionally, we will roll out Staff Treatment Hubs that will ensure staff have access to high quality support for occupational health, including support for mental health and back conditions.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of sexual misconduct policies implemented by NHS integrated care boards for protecting NHS staff from sexual misconduct by other staff members.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Sexual misconduct of any kind has no place in the National Health Service. NHS England is actively working to ensure that the NHS is a safe environment for employees, patients, and visitors.
NHS England published the Sexual Safety Charter in 2023, setting out the principles we expect all NHS organisations to uphold. Every integrated care board (ICB) and NHS trust has now signed up to the charter and are in the process of assuring themselves that actions are being taken against all principles. Further information on the Sexual Safety Charter is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/sexual-safety-in-healthcare-organisational-charter/
In 2024, all ICBs and NHS trusts were asked to implement the Sexual Misconduct Policy Framework which proposes that NHS organisations adopt, among other things, anonymous reporting mechanisms for staff. In line with this policy, approximately three quarters of all trusts have adopted anonymous reporting of sexual misconduct allegations. Further information on the Sexual Misconduct Policy Framework is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-people-sexual-misconduct-policy-framework/
From August 2025, all trusts and ICBs were required to audit their sexual misconduct policies, review and update relevant policies, such as information sharing and chaperoning, and keep Electronic Staff Records up to date with ongoing and completed staff investigations.
In December 2025, all trusts and ICBs were required to redouble their efforts in relation to sexual misconduct. This includes participating in nationally commissioned training on investigating sexual misconduct cases, ensuring they have a pool of specially trained doctors and dentists, and implementing review groups for cases where there is a sexual dimension to allegations. A further requirement on ICBs and trusts to audit their sexual misconduct policies was issued at this time
The Government will introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards are likely to focus on areas such as improving staff health and wellbeing and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace. They will provide a framework for leaders across the NHS to build a supportive culture.
While important progress is being made on sexual misconduct policies, the Government is clear that we will continue to monitor and take all necessary action to address sexual misconduct in the NHS.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of including anti-racism measures in the Competence and Conduct Standard for social landlords on the levels of homelessness amongst people from Black ethnic groups.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A Public Sector Equalities Assessment was published as part of our consultation on the detailed policy supporting the competence and conduct standard for social housing staff. It can be found here.
It considered the impact the new standards might have for people with protected characteristics. This assessment was then reviewed in light of feedback received through the consultation.
The Competence and Conduct standard requires senior housing managers and executives to undertake qualifications which develop their knowledge and skills of housing management and engagement with tenants in relation to: equality, diversity and inclusion; awareness of a range of needs and vulnerabilities; effective engagement with tenants; and delivering respectful and professional housing services.
These criteria are designed to improve the experience of social housing tenants by ensuring senior staff can understand and respond to the diverse needs of tenants, including those related to age, disability, race, gender, and other protected characteristics.
The Regulator’s Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, which came into force in April 2024, also places clear requirements on landlords to deliver fair and equitable outcomes for their tenants and prospective tenants. This includes using relevant information and data to understand the diverse needs of tenants, including those arising from protected characteristics to deliver more inclusive services.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of attacks on healthcare workers in the last 12 months.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Everyone working in the National Health Service has a fundamental right to be safe at work. Trends in violence towards NHS staff have generally stayed at the same levels in recent years.
Individual employers are responsible for the health and safety of their staff, and they put in place measures, including security, training, and emotional support, for staff affected by violence. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been clear that there is zero tolerance of violence and harassment against NHS staff, and in April 2025 accepted all the Social Partnership Forum’s recommendations on tackling and reducing violence, part of the 2023 Agenda for Change pay deal. These measures will be strengthened by the introduction of a new set of staff standards, as detailed in the 10-Year Health Plan. These are likely to focus on areas such as improving staff health and wellbeing and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve the recruitment and retention of staff in women’s health services in Hampshire.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers, who manage this at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.
The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals.
To support this ambition, the Government plans to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing, and dealing with violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace. They will provide a framework for leaders across the NHS to build a supportive culture that embeds retention.