UK gov responds to report into failings in black maternal health

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced the forthcoming “maternal morbidity indicator system” in its formal response to the Health and Social Care Committee’s recent report on black maternal health.

The system will collect data on complications in the care and treatment of pregnant women and babies, and analyse patterns.

Insights will help NHS leaders target interventions at those facing unequal risk, such as black mothers, and make changes at hospitals to prevent future incidents.

Paulette Hamilton MP, who chaired the committee while the inquiry was undertaken, said: “Whilst it has been years in the making, the new maternal morbidity indicator will hopefully prove to be a vital tool in understanding the reasons for failures in black maternity care.

“I am glad our report appears to have pushed this along and the Government deserves some praise for finally seeing it through.

“However, there is a lack of willingness to grab the issue by the horns.

“It would have been relatively easy to bring in compulsory training for midwives to understand cultural complexities in their role. What’s holding the Government back?

“It is also unclear how accountability will improve.

“Having the insights is one thing, but what will be the mechanism to act on failure and prevent it recurring?

“I am not yet convinced that Ministers, or the system, are properly hearing and understanding the voices of black mothers.”

Published in September, the cross-party committee’s report called for DHSC to urgently accelerate development of the indicator.

DHSC now says the system will be operational from the first quarter of 2026.

Work on the tool began at least three years ago, with the previous government stating in August 2022 that it was “in development”.

In July this year the government said development was expected “within less than three years”.

The committee’s report found that black women face disproportionately poor outcomes in a system failing women more broadly.

Black women are 2.3 times more likely to die in pregnancy, childbirth, or the postnatal period than white women.

NHS England has paid out £27.4bn due to maternity negligence cases since 2019, estimated to be more than the total spent on maternity services over the same period.

MPs heard that overarching reasons for substandard treatment include racism, insufficient training and a system lacking accountability.

The department’s response rejects the committee’s recommendation for mandatory, ongoing cultural competency training for all midwives, instead referring to an Anti-Discrimination Programme launched in October that only applies to leaders and consultants.

The committee also called on ministers to ensure local health commissioners give adequate funding for maternity services.

The response rejected calls to reintroduce elements of ring-fenced funding, with the government saying Integrated Care Boards will be “monitored”, but did not explain how it would hold poorer performing trusts to account.