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Content ArticleRacism and other forms of discrimination not only affect people receiving care, but also many midwifery and nursing professionals who provide it. Everyone deserves to receive equitable, culturally safe, anti-racist, unbiased care. Students and nursing and midwifery professionals deserve to learn and work in psychologically safe environments where discriminatory behaviours and biases are called out, challenged, and not tolerated. Anti-racism is fundamental to patient safety and public protection. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) anti-racism principles set out some of the ways educators, organisations, registrants and employers can address concerns around inequities in care and racism across health and social care practice, education, and regulation. The principles are designed to: Strengthen cultural safety, curiosity and respect in practice and education Explicitly advance meaningful, sustained anti-racist, bias-aware practice. The principles are organised around four areas. Culture, equity and inclusion. Learning, education and workforce development. Community and person-centred practice. Assurance, accountability and sector improvement.
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News ArticleTrust chairs and chief executives must take mandatory antisemitism and anti-racism training within six months, as part of efforts to tackle “routine ostracism” of Jewish people in the NHS. A government-commissioned report on antisemitism and other forms of racism in the NHS and health regulation, published today, said training must take place for “approximately 400 chairs and chief executives of NHS provider trusts on antisemitism, anti-racism and building on the Macpherson principles, within the next six months”. The Macpherson principles were established by the 1999 Macpherson report, originating from the public inquiry into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. The report, by Labour peer and campaigner Lord Mann, said: “This training should support leaders to understand how they can take evidence-based actions to address discrimination and effect change in their organisations. Consideration should also be given to how this might be extended to integrated care boards and primary care networks’ leadership.” Leaders of health and care systems and professional regulators should also take the training, Lord Mann’s report said. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 4 June 2026
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Content ArticleAn urgent review led by Lord John Mann examining how the NHS, including employers and UK health regulators, identify, report and respond to antisemitism and other forms of racism. Lord John Mann, the government independent advisor on antisemitism, was commissioned by the Secretary of State of Health and Social Care and the Prime Minister in October 2025 to lead a review into how the NHS and its regulatory system recognises, reports, and tackles antisemitism and other forms of racism, following multiple cases of intolerable antisemitism. Lord Mann’s report sets out a comprehensive set of recommendations to: strengthen accountability improve reporting and investigation processes embed an anti-racist culture across the health system to ensure that patients and staff are better protected from discrimination and abuse.
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News Article
Thousands more UK black men to be invited for prostate cancer screening
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Thousands more black men will be invited to take part in a prostate cancer screening trial as the health secretary insisted he was “following the science” in not backing population-wide testing. James Murray accepted a recommendation from the UK national screening committee (UKNSC) that will result in only a few thousand high-risk men with a gene mutation being screened for the disease. However, he announced funding to expand the Transform trial, which is exploring the best ways to test for the disease, to ensure it includes more black men. Prostate cancer is the most common form of the disease in the UK, with more than 64,000 men diagnosed every year. Last week, the UKNSC recommended against screening all men using the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test, saying it was “likely to cause more harm than good”. Instead, men with BRCA2 genetic mutations – which puts them at far higher risk – will be tested every two years between the ages of 45 and 61 if they have a family history of breast, ovarian, pancreatic or prostate cancers. Dr Ian Walker, director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said the decision would be “disappointing for some” but was in line with evidence as there was some debate over the reliability of the PSA test. The UKNSC also recommended against screening for other at-risk groups, including black men, saying there is “ongoing uncertainty on whether screening would cause more good than harm”. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 3 June 2026 -
News ArticleRacist abuse of NHS nurses has jumped by 86% in the last few years, which their union’s boss has blamed on the normalisation of extreme views in politics and the media. One nurse was called a monkey by a colleague, a patient threw a hot drink at a nurse and followed up with racial abuse, and in several cases others were called the N-word, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) disclosed. In other examples, a patient’s family told a nurse they did not want black people looking after their daughter, and a fellow NHS worker shouted at a nurse: “We don’t have people of your colour here.” Nurses across the UK reported 6,812 incidents last year in which they suffered racist abuse, NHS figures show, a big rise on the 3,652 incidents recorded in 2022. However, it is unclear how many were reported to the police or led to any action being taken, such as a perpetrator being told to seek treatment from a different care provider. The RCN warned that poor recording of such abuse by the health service, and reluctance among many nurses to report it, meant the figures – which it obtained from NHS trusts and health boards under freedom of information (FOI) – were only “the tip of the iceberg”. The findings are the latest evidence of what Kate Jarman, the director of corporate affairs at Milton Keynes university hospital trust, last week called “a rising tide of racism” washing over the NHS making it unsafe for some staff. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 19 May 2026
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EventuntilThe latest NHS staff survey highlighted an unacceptable reality. One in five Black and minority ethnic staff are subject to racism from patients and 14% experience similar harassment from colleagues. From verbal attacks by patients, to incidents on the journey to and from work, many staff from ethnic minority backgrounds are navigating environments that simply don’t feel safe. This has real consequences on wellbeing, retention and whether people feel able to fully show up at work. Leaders and managers are often left holding difficult questions: What does meaningful support look like when harm is ongoing, not isolated? Why do current responses, even when well-intentioned, fall short? What does it take to create safety when parts of the system feel unsafe? This free online lunch and learn will be a space to reflect honestly on the impact of racist abuse and focus on what leaders can do differently. It will explore how leaders can offer protection, respond with clarity and build conditions to help staff feel safer and more supported. Join if you want to: strengthen your response to racist abuse in real situations move beyond policy into practical leadership understand what meaningful support looks like from a staff perspective lead in ways that actively contribute to safety, not just intention. There will be time at the end for a Q&A session. We hope to see you there. Register
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News Article
Black people in England twice as likely to suffer stroke as white counterparts
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
People from black backgrounds in England are twice as likely to experience strokes as their white counterparts, while also being less likely to receive timely care, according to the largest study of its kind. The study, conducted by researchers at King’s College London and presented at the European Stroke Organisation conference, analysed 30 years of stroke incidents from the South London Stroke Register, one of the longest-running population-based stroke registers in the world. Within a population of 333,000 people, according to the analysis, 7,726 strokes occurred. And while stroke incidence fell by 34% between 1995-99 and 2010-14, the rate rose again by 13% between 2020 and 2024. The analysis also found that during this period where stroke incidents were on the rise, people from black African and Caribbean backgrounds were more than twice as likely to experience a stroke compared with their white counterparts. More specifically, stroke incidence was 131% higher in black African and 100% higher in black Caribbean populations in comparison with their white counterparts. People from black backgrounds are up to 47% more likely to have high blood pressure, and are also up to twice as likely to have diabetes than their white counterparts, even after adjusting for other risk factors including socioeconomic background. Dr Camila Pantoja-Ruiz, of King’s College London, the lead author of the study, said: “This trend may partly reflect the lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which reduced access to primary care, blood pressure monitoring and prescribing, particularly affecting black and deprived communities.” She added: “These patterns of increased stroke risk in these communities may also be influenced by broader factors, including racism, unconscious bias and socioeconomic circumstances, which can impact access to and quality of care." Read full story Source: The Guardian, 6 May 2026 -
News ArticleStress from racism and deprivation could explain why black women are more likely to die during childbirth, a study has found. Researchers reviewed 44 existing studies that examined three physiological pathways associated with worse pregnancy outcomes: oxidative stress, inflammation, and uteroplacental vascular resistance, and found black women had higher levels of the three metrics. Such physiological differences are not the result of genetic differences, according to the researchers, but rather suggest that socioenvironmental stressors such as systemic racism and deprivation, which are known to have a measurable biological effect, may influence the body’s ability to function healthily during pregnancy. Grace Amedor, of the University of Cambridge, the first author of the peer-reviewed study published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, said: “Pregnancy and childbirth put great stress on a woman’s body. Black women may experience additional strain due to factors including systemic racism, socioeconomic disadvantage and environmental stressors. “During pregnancy, this strain may affect key biological processes in ways that increase the risk of conditions such as pre-eclampsia. I was surprised that although this disparity had been known for a long time, there was little research into the potential underlying physiological reasons. “It’s important that we don’t stop trying to tackle the root causes that lead to worse pregnancy outcomes in black women, which are the socioeconomic disparities and the systemic racism they can experience throughout their lives.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 29 April 2026
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Content ArticleThis week is Black Maternal Health Awareness Week. Black women in the UK are still four times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth than white women. In this article, Sandra Igwe, Founder of the Motherhood Group, says Black Maternal Health Awareness Week is not a PR moment. It is a reckoning. For generations, Black women have been told, implicitly and explicitly, that they are built differently. That they can handle more. That their pain is manageable. That asking for help is weakness. That speaking up is aggression. This is not a cultural truth. It is a stereotype, and it is one that has been absorbed into healthcare systems in ways that cost lives. Further reading on the hub: House of Lords roundtable on Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation: reflections from The Motherhood Group Addressing critical gaps in Black maternal mental healthcare: a new partnership project is launched (interview with Sandra Igwe)
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News Article
Ex-director ‘removed and silenced over race concerns’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A former finance director has claimed he was ousted and subjected to a campaign to “silence” him by his trust after he asked “inconvenient” questions about race inequalities. Don Richards, who was chief finance officer at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals Trust until 2024, told an employment tribunal preliminary hearing in Watford on Wednesday that he had been “pushed” into signing a settlement agreement. He left the trust shortly after two other executive directors wrote to chief executive Matthew Coats saying they had “no confidence” in him. Days earlier, the integrated care board CEO had sent a separate letter to Mr Coats saying she had concerns over the trust’s financial leadership. Mr Richards said in the hearing that there had been a “continuing campaign first to remove me, then to silence me”. He said this stemmed from a board meeting – which took place in the same month the letters were sent – where he had raised queries about mortality rates among Black women in maternity services, as well as staff with a minority ethnic background being passed over for promotion. He told the hearing: “I asked inconvenient questions, and the chief executive at the trust didn’t like that. His expedient solution was to remove me.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 10 April 2026 -
News Article
Government announces crackdown on racist and antisemitic doctors in NHS
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The Government is poised to introduce sweeping reforms aimed at making it significantly easier to dismiss doctors found to have engaged in racist or antisemitic conduct. The move, described as the biggest overhaul of the General Medical Council (GMC) in four decades, comes amid growing concerns over a perceived lack of swift action against medical professionals using discriminatory language. The Department of Health and Social Care has launched a consultation on legislative changes, citing "too many" recent instances of doctors, particularly on social media, using racist and antisemitic language without adequate regulatory response. The proposed reforms stem from a rapid review conducted by Lord Mann, commissioned last November to investigate antisemitism and other forms of racism within the health service. Among the initial recommendations from Lord Mann's review, which the government plans to consult on, are new powers for the GMC to challenge decisions made by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS). Additionally, the Professional Standards Authority, which oversees all health regulators, will be granted enhanced powers to scrutinise and contest such decisions. Read full story Source: The Independent, 24 March 2026 -
News Article
‘It’s weird how white you are’, Alliance boss tells ambulance leaders
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Ambulance chiefs have been urged to take greater efforts to ensure their workforce is more diverse by NHS Alliance chair Lord Victor Adebowale. Lord Adebowale told the Ambulance Leadership Forum that it was “weird” to be in an environment which was so predominantly white. The NHS Alliance is the body formed by the union between NHS Providers and the NHS Confederation. Its chair told the annual forum of ambulance chiefs: “I can’t believe how white you are”, noting most of the other meetings he went to had at least 5 per cent non-white participants. He praised the work ambulance trusts had been doing to improve the treatment of LGBT+ and neurodiverse staff but added the sector had a “problem” with racial diversity. Lord Adebowale said: “It is not sustainable, it’s not credible. So whatever you are doing it is not working fast enough.” Rates of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff in ambulance trusts are lower than in other parts of the NHS. In part, this reflects a paramedic population that is predominately white, with overseas recruitment tending to focus on countries like Australia which have similar training. There is only one BAME CEO in the sector – North West Ambulance Service’s Salman Desai – and a sprinkling of executive directors. None of the 10 English ambulance trusts are led by a woman. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 23 March 2026 -
Content ArticleIndependent investigations into failings in NHS maternity services have repeatedly exposed serious shortcomings in safety, quality, and organisational culture. These reviews were intended to generate learning and drive improvements, but with so many issues linked to racial and socioeconomic inequities, failure to build this into inquiries risks perpetuating avoidable harm. The NHS Race & Health Observatory conducted a document analysis of the three major independent investigations published over the past 15 years: Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury & Telford, and East Kent. These high-profile, government commissioned reports were examined through an intersectional, antiracist lens to assess whether ethnicity, racism, and deprivation were meaningfully considered as drivers of maternal outcomes. Findings Patients’ ethnicity Across all three investigations, ethnicity was inconsistently addressed and often minimised. The Shrewsbury & Telford report acknowledged national disparities but failed to analyse local data, with nearly 9,300 missing ethnicity records. The East Kent and Morecambe Bay reports briefly noted poor treatment of ethnic minority women and to those born overseas but did not investigate systemic discrimination. In Morecambe Bay, concerns raised by families of ethnic minority patients were dismissed without comparative analysis. The limited attention to ethnicity undermines the relevance of recommendations for ethnic minority women. Workplace racism and staff experiences Workplace culture was a recurring theme, yet only the East Kent report explicitly identified racism among staff as a contributing factor to poor care. Allegations of racial abuse were often dismissed without resolution. In contrast, the Shrewsbury & Telford and Morecambe Bay reports described negative cultures but did not consider ethnicity as a source of conflict or harm. This reflects a broader failure to recognise racism within NHS workplaces and its impact on patient safety. Deprivation and maternal outcomes The Morecambe Bay and Shrewsbury & Telford reports acknowledged deprivation using national data but did not analyse its local impact. The East Kent report overlooked deprivation entirely. None of the investigations examined how deprivation intersects with ethnicity to worsen outcomes, despite evidence that economically disadvantaged ethnic minority women face compounded risks. Leadership failures Leadership failures—including poor oversight, defensive cultures, and high turnover—were common across all three reports. However, none explored whether racial discrimination contributed to leadership breakdowns or staff tensions. This omission reflects a reluctance to confront structural racism within NHS governance.
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News ArticleAn interim report into maternity and neonatal services across England has uncovered shocking allegations of racism, bullying, crumbling infrastructure, and births in undignified circumstances. Some families said that baby deaths were being misclassified to prevent further investigation. Baroness Amos, who is leading a national investigation into maternity care, said: "Maternity and neonatal services in England are failing too many women, babies, families, and staff." Investigators spoke to hundreds of harmed families and staff across 12 NHS trusts in England, many of whom shared shocking accounts of their experiences. Some families alleged in the report that their babies were designated stillborn instead of dying after birth. "They felt the system incentivised the recording of deaths as stillbirths as this prevents the case from being investigated by a coroner," the report said. Jack and Sarah Hawkins, whose daughter Harriet was stillborn, were not part of the Amos investigation, but have fought to get a separate inquiry launched for bereaved and harmed families in Nottingham. Jack said: "We have met a number of people and heard reports from a number of people whose babies they say were born alive and who the hospital say were born dead. "And that is a horrific position, a horrific thing to say, and yet of course we believe the victims, not the NHS, who have shown themselves to be sparing with the truth around some of these issues." Read full story Source: Sky News, 26 February 2026
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News Article
Revealed: The trusts with ‘unacceptable’ outcomes for Black and low-income women
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The trusts where Black women and those from the most deprived communities are facing “unacceptable” disparities in outcomes against a range of maternal care metrics have been identified in a new NHS England dashboard. HSJ’s analysis of the new dataset, the publication of which was mandated by health and social care secretary Wes Streeting in June, comes as Baroness Valerie Amos is due to publish the next stage of her report of maternity services later this month. The data suggests that those identifying as Black and living in the “most deprived” communities experienced higher rates of pre-term birth nationally last year – with rates almost three times as high as white and less deprived women at some providers. Pre-term birth rates for Black and “most deprived” women were nearly three times as high as white and “least deprived” women at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Foundation Trust, which had one of the highest overall rates nationally. And although Homerton Healthcare and Kingston and Richmond FTs had low overall pre-term birth rates, Black women receiving care there had rates twice as high as white women. Black women also experienced higher rates of postpartum haemorrhage nationally, according to the data. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 17 February 2026 -
News Article"I was told by the midwife to shut up," says Tenisha, "and then she put her hand over my mouth... " Shakira asked if alternative medication to morphine was possible after her C-section. "The nurse got angry," she says. "She threw the morphine away, and I was then left alone for hours." And when Kadi was recovering from a fourth-degree vaginal tear, she lay alone in her hospital bed crying her eyes out. Stories from three separate women who were cared for in three different hospitals, but they all shared a similar experience - their pain was ignored, their concerns were dismissed, and they believe their race played a part in the treatment they received. The government says tackling disparities in maternity care is a priority, calling the fact that black women are twice as likely to die during childbirth an "absolute outrage". But behind the statistics are real women, living with the consequences. "I haven't felt supported, I haven't felt safe, I haven't felt like my pain was taken seriously," says Tenisha Howell, 33, who has five children. "I have a lot of experiences that I can draw from, and it's sad to say that a lot of them have been quite negative," she says. Tenisha says her most recent birth was "probably one of the most traumatic experiences" she has ever had. She was screaming in agonising pain as the gas and air she was given was beginning to wear off. The response from her midwife? "She told me to shut up multiple times and then she put her hand over my mouth to basically say, 'be quiet'," Tenisha explains. Dr Michelle Peter, co-author of the Five X More Black Maternity Experiences Report, says: "This kind of dismissal of black women's pain and refusal to provide adequate pain relief when it's requested is a common experience amongst the black women who have shared their experiences with us." The Black maternal experiences report gathered responses from 1,164 black and mixed-heritage women across the UK who had been pregnant between July 2021 and March 2025. Of these women, 54% said they experienced challenges with healthcare professionals, while almost a quarter reported not receiving pain relief when it was requested. "This is kind of linked to historical, but also ongoing, racialised assumptions about black people's tolerance to pain, their vulnerability or their strengths," says Dr Peter. "It was a horrifying experience, to be in so much pain, to be asking for help and nobody listening to you." Read full story Source: Sky News, 16 February 2026 Further reading on the hub: Five X More campaign: Improving maternal mortality rates and health outcomes for black women
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News ArticleChristina Brown was 18 years old the first time she had to correct a doctor when advocating for health. Breast cancer runs in her family, so she had been taught early by relatives how to examine her own body – what was normal, what wasn’t and when something warranted attention. When she found a lump in her breast in September 2014, she didn’t hesitate. She went to a doctor. At each appointment, Brown, a 30-year-old content creator in New York City, said she explained the same concern, pointed to the same spot, and was met with the same response. They told her they couldn’t feel anything. That there was no lump. That she was wrong. “I literally had to grab their hands and show them where the lump was, and they would be surprised and then just pass me to the next doctor to do the exact same thing,” Brown said. It took four rounds of this before anyone agreed to schedule a biopsy. By then, months had passed. That experience reshaped how Brown approached medical care: it taught her that knowing her body better than the experts is vital. Additionally, it prompted her to seek out Black doctors whenever possible because she figured a Black physician would be more likely to believe her the first time around. A 2023 survey found that Black patients who have more visits with Black healthcare providers report having more positive medical experiences. Brown’s story is not unique. Across gynecology, primary care, and reproductive health, many Black women describe navigating medical care as a nightmare. “To be a Black woman in America is to have an adverse experience at the doctor’s office, and with her health,” Brown said. “It’s one where you are constantly feeling dismissed, misunderstood, gaslit, downplayed and straight up lied to.” Whether through relentless self-advocacy, intimate knowledge of their own bodies, or the deliberate choice to seek out Black physicians, many Black women move through medical settings strategically, as a means of survival. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 27 January 2026
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Content Article
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NHS England has set a target that cervical cancer will be eliminated in England by 2040. Although progress has been made in detecting and treating cervical cancer, there are still many women who are reluctant to go for cervical screening, or who face barriers to accessing screening. These barriers include perceived discrimination, lack of understanding the risk of cervical cancer and unmet access needs. This contributes to persistent health inequalities amongst particular groups. Patient Safety Learning has pulled together 13 useful resources shared on the hub about how to improve access and overcome barriers to cervical screening. 1. Cervical screening, my way: Women's attitudes and solutions to improve uptake of cervical screening This research by Healthwatch explored why some women are hesitant to go for cervical screening. Based on the findings of a survey of more than 2,400 women who were hesitant about screening, it makes recommendations to policymakers on how to improve uptake, including: improvements to the way data about the disability and ethnicity of people attending screening. producing an NHS-branded trauma card for affected women to bring to appointments. ensuring staff are effectively trained on accessibility and adjustments to care. looking at the possibility of home-based self-screening. 2. Facing a smear test after my trauma In this BMJ article, Ruth Ajayi shares her experience of cervical screening after a traumatic childbirth, and how healthcare professionals could offer more compassionate, flexible care. 3. Exploring the inequalities of women with learning disabilities deciding to attend and then accessing cervical and breast cancer screening, using the Social Ecological Model Women with learning disabilities are less likely to access cervical and breast cancer screening when compared to the general population. In this study, the Social Ecological Model (SEM) was used to examine the inequalities faced by women with learning disabilities in accessing cervical and breast cancer screening in England. The study highlights key barriers to access for women with learning disabilities. 4. “We’re not taken seriously”: Describing the experiences of perceived discrimination in medical settings for Black women Black women continue to experience disparities in cervical cancer despite targeted efforts. One potential factor affecting screening and prevention is discrimination in medical settings. This US study in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities describes experiences of perceived discrimination in medical settings for Black women and explores the impact of this on cervical cancer screening and prevention. The authors suggest that future interventions should address the poor quality of medical encounters that Black women experience. 5. Top tips for healthcare professionals: Cervical screenings This article by the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists and the My Body Back Project offers tips for healthcare professionals to make cervical cancer screening attendees feel as comfortable as possible during their appointments. Cervical screening can be very daunting for some women, and for those who have experienced sexual violence it can be triggering and cause emotional distress. The article provides tips on communication, making the environment calm and safe, sharing control and building trust with women. 6. Cervical screening uptake: supporting positive patient experiences is key In this blog, Steph explains why Cervical Cancer Prevention Week is an opportunity to validate and help improve patient experiences. She calls for more information to be shared with both patients and doctors that helps to increase compassion, understanding and accessibility. 7. Cervical screening for people with learning disabilities: Learning resource for sample takers This learning resource from the NHS Wessex Cancer Alliance explains the misconceptions and barriers to cervical screening, the consent and best interest decisions, and the role of the sample taker and the reasonable adjustments that can be made. 8. The Eve Appeal: What adjustments can you ask for at your cervical screening? The Eve Appeal want to raise awareness of what adaptations women and people with a cervix can ask for during their screening to make the appointment more comfortable. 9. How can reframing women’s health improve outcomes? An interview with Dr Marieke Bigg Dr Marieke Bigg is the author of a 2023 book, This won’t hurt: How medicine fails women. In this interview, Marieke discusses how societal ideas about the female body have restricted the healthcare system’s approach to women’s health and describes the impact this has had on health outcomes. She also highlights areas where the health system is reframing its approach by listening to the needs of women and describes how simple changes, such as allowing women to carry out their own cervical screening at home, can make a big difference. 10. Having a smear test. What is it about? This download A4 Easy Read booklet from Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust uses simple language and pictures to talk about smear tests. It explains what a smear test is, has tips for the person having the test and has a list of words they might hear at their appointment. 11. Health Improvement Scotland: Cervical screening standards Published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland in March, the new cervical screening standards include recommendations to ensure women receive accessible letters and information about screening and healthcare professionals are trained to support women to make informed choices. 12. Cervical cancer screening in women with physical disabilities This US study explored how the cervical cancer screening experiences of women with physical disabilities (WWPD) can be improved. Interviews with WWPD indicated that access to self-sampling options would be more comfortable for cervical cancer screening participation. The authors highlight that these findings that can inform the promotion of self-sampling devices for cervical cancer screening. 13. Cervical screening - a guide for survivors of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse This guide by The Eve Appeal and The Survivors Trust gives information about attending cervical screening for survivors of rape, sexual abuse or assault. It offers tips that may help patients feel more comfortable about their appointment. It is part of the #CheckWithMeFirst campaign to help raise awareness of the challenges survivors of rape, sexual abuse and sexual violence may face when accessing cervical screening. Have your say Are you a healthcare professional who works in women’s health or cancer services? We would love to hear your insights and share resources you have developed. Perhaps you have an experience of cervical screening or cervical cancer that you would like to share? We would love to hear from you! Comment below (register as a hub member for free first) Get in touch with us directly to share your insights -
Content Article
Sandra Igwe MBE is the Founder and CEO of The Motherhood Group and a Topic leader for the hub. In this blog, she talks about The Motherhood Group’s involvement in a recent roundtable event to discuss the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. A pivotal conversation on maternal health equity A recent roundtable at the House of Lords brought together leading voices in maternal health to discuss the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. Chaired by Baroness Valerie Amos, the gathering assembled dedicated organisations, changemakers, and advocates working to create a safer, fairer future for all mothers and families across the United Kingdom. Among those invited was The Motherhood Group, who contributed vital insights and evidence-based solutions to the discussion. The event highlighted the critical work being undertaken to address systemic failures in maternity care and the urgent need for comprehensive reform across England's healthcare system. Understanding the national investigation The national maternity and neonatal investigation is a UK-based review launched to examine the quality and safety of maternity and neonatal services across England. Led by Baroness Amos, it aims to identify how to reduce harm to mothers, babies, and families by focusing on a pattern of failings, such as ignored concerns and poor leadership. The investigation will review services at 14 specific NHS trusts and look at the entire system to produce national recommendations for improvement. This comprehensive approach represents a watershed moment in addressing maternal health inequalities. Rather than examining isolated incidents, the investigation takes a systemic view, recognising that patterns of poor care often stem from deeper organisational and cultural issues within healthcare settings. Why this matters now Inequalities within maternity and neonatal care remain one of the most pressing issues in the UK healthcare system. Black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than white women, and women from Asian backgrounds face twice the risk. These aren't just statistics, they represent real mothers, real families, and real lives that could be saved with systemic change. The roundtable discussion emphasised that investigation alone isn't enough. Action, advocacy, and sustained commitment to dismantling the barriers that create these disparities are essential. The focus on ignored concerns and poor leadership within the national investigation directly addresses two of the most common factors contributing to preventable maternal harm. Voices for change The roundtable brought together a diverse array of perspectives and expertise. From grassroots community organisations supporting mothers on the front lines, to policy experts analysing data and trends, to healthcare professionals committed to reforming practices from within - each voice added essential insight to the collective understanding of the challenges ahead. Among the invited participants was The Motherhood Group, who shared findings from their Black Maternal Health Report. Including the five clear steps for transformation: Community-led and culturally safe care Co-produced service standards with Black mothers Mandatory trauma-informed and culturally competent training Investment in grassroots and digital peer support Leadership and accountability across systems This contribution was particularly valuable, as the report offers evidence-based solutions to improve maternity care in the UK. By bringing research-backed recommendations directly into the conversation with policymakers and healthcare leaders, The Motherhood Group ensured that the voices and experiences of Black mothers remained central to discussions about reform. Baroness Amos's leadership created a space where difficult truths could be spoken and heard. Participants discussed not just the clinical aspects of care, but the social determinants of health, the impact of structural racism, communication barriers, and the importance of culturally competent care that respects and responds to diverse needs. The path forward The 14 NHS trusts under review represent an opportunity for deep, meaningful change. However, the lessons learned must extend far beyond these individual organisations. The national recommendations produced by this investigation have the potential to reshape maternity and neonatal care across the entire country. Events like this roundtable serve as vital catalysts for change, creating momentum and building networks of advocates who will ensure recommendations translate into real-world improvements. The real work happens in hospitals, clinics, and communities every single day - when healthcare providers listen to mothers' concerns without dismissal, when policies are designed with equity at their core, and when families are empowered as partners in their care. Moving from dialogue to action The inequalities discussed at the roundtable are solvable problems. The knowledge, expertise, and increasingly, the political will to make meaningful change exist. What's needed now is sustained commitment - from policymakers, healthcare institutions, and society as a whole - to prioritise maternal and neonatal health equity. Every mother deserves to feel safe, heard, and respected throughout their pregnancy and birth journey. Every family deserves to bring their baby home. This isn't an aspiration - it's a fundamental right. Until this is achieved for all families, regardless of background, the work continues. The House of Lords roundtable represented an important step forward in this journey, bringing together the voices, expertise, and commitment needed to ensure that the national investigation delivers lasting change for mothers and families across England. Related content The Motherhood Group: Black maternal mental health report UK (23 September 2025) Time for action: The Black Maternal Mental Health Report Campaigning for safety as a patient, family member or advocate Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures: Black maternal mental health (7 April 2025) Addressing critical gaps in Black maternal mental healthcare: a new partnership project is launched (interview with Sandra Igwe) -
News Article
NHS staff who visit patients at home say St George’s flags can mean ‘no-go zones’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS staff who care for patients in their own homes fear some areas have become “no-go zones” for them because of the presence of St George’s flags, health leaders have said. Black and Asian staff have been left feeling “deliberately intimidated” as a result of the flags that were put up in many parts of England during the summer, according to the chief executive of one NHS trust in England, who asked to remain anonymous. “We saw during the time the flags went up, our staff, who are a large minority of black and Asian staff, feeling deliberately intimidated,” he said. “It felt like the flags were creating no-go zones. That’s what it felt like to them. You add on top of that real autonomous working, that real bravery of working in people’s homes, with an environment … [where] it feels like it’s an area that’s designed to exclude them.” He said his staff had felt intimidated, “and, if I’m honest, in many cases I think that’s what it was designed to feel like”, he added. The Royal College of Nursing said the fear created by the flags was part of an alarming wider picture. Prof Nicola Ranger, the union’s general secretary, said: “A sustained campaign of anti-migrant rhetoric is fuelling a growing cesspool of racism, including against international and ethnic minority nursing staff, without whom our health and care system would simply cease to function. “Those working in the community feel especially vulnerable and employers have a duty to ensure they are protected. “Following a summer of further racist disorder, it is little wonder a growing number of nursing staff report feeling unsafe, particularly when having to work on their own and often at night. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 11 November 2025 -
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