Midwives today pleaded with ministers to set targets to end the appalling disparity of black women being almost four times more likely to die during childbirth.
Janet Fyle MBE, professional policy advisor at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said the Government needed to take the issue by the “bullhorns” after a report last week found it was taking “insufficient” action.
She said: “What is making them scared to take this issue by the bullhorns and really try to understand why more black women are dying during childbirth?
“I just don’t know what it is that stops them from setting targets or what it is that makes them frightened to go the extra mile.”
Speaking at a meeting hosted by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on black maternal health, she added: “They will never set targets for black women dying. They have set targets for stillbirths, for premature births, but never for black women.
“Targets allow you to adjust what you’re doing. Unless they have targets, they’ll never know what does or doesn’t make a difference.”
The Government has set targets for halving the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths by 2025 compared to 2010 levels.
Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who is chair of the APPG, said it was “disgraceful” no targets had been put in place.
She said the Government “need to put themselves in the shoes of someone who has lost a loved one”.
Sean O’Sullivan, head of policy at the RCM, said “staffing shortages” was core to the issue of black maternal deaths.
He said the RCM's most recent figure of a shortage of around 2,000 midwives had now risen to 2,500.
“We know that while staffing shortages affect the quality, safety and experience for all women and families, there are particular consequences for black and brown women," he said.
“We know with staffing shortages that so many midwives are exhausted and burnt out. We're losing a lot of experienced midwives and it's a vicious circle so the more that leave, the more pressure is on those who remain and that tends to be breeding ground for toxic cultures for bullying and discrimination.”
The Commons Women and Equalities Committee last week accused the Government of taking “insufficient” action in tackling disparities in black maternal deaths.
It said it was "frankly shameful" the disparities, which have been known for 20 years, still existed today.
MPs said they are “concerned” ministers and NHS leaders have “underestimated” the extent racism plays in the inequalities.
They supported a demand for a £200-350million uplift in annual maternity funding that was first called for by the Health and Social Care Committee when now-Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was its chair.
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