A report published today by the NHS Race and Health Observatory has raised significant concerns about the accuracy of newborn health checks for some babies belonging to ethnic minorities.
The NHS Race and Health Observatory review found that healthcare professionals are using a newborn assessment which relies on skin colour to help identify conditions like jaundice.
Historically the assessment was developed based on White European babies and implemented regardless of diverse populations, and with no reference to alternative descriptions for Black, Asian and ethnic minority babies. The review recommends updates of guidelines that refer to assessment by skin colour, as well as using medical devices and better education and training for healthcare professionals carrying out assessments on babies from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Sands is determined that every family has the best opportunity to see their baby grow up. And that every mother, baby and family should have the same high standard of safe maternity care, no matter where they live or who they are.
It is vital that parents are listened to when they raise concerns about their baby’s care, and the NHS Race and Health Observatory review makes clear that this does not always happen. This is especially important when healthcare professionals are caring for babies belonging to ethnic minorities.
“It is important that steps are taken to address the issues highlighted in today’s report which adds to the evidence that there are stark differences in the experiences of different families and babies at the start of life.
“At Sands we hear from parents from all backgrounds and ethnicities who tell us they were not listened to or that their concerns about their baby were not acted upon.
“We know that black babies are two times more likely to die in the first 28 days of life than white babies. And although it is not clear the extent to which these health checks contribute to the increased likelihood of a baby dying, this is the context in which the concerns are being raised.
“We echo the recommendations of the review, because we know that when parents’ views and experiences are heard and acted upon, it leads to better care for every pregnant mother and all babies, now and in the future.”
Kate Mulley, Sands’ Director of Education, Policy and Research
At Sands we believe that no baby should have a higher risk of dying because of their parents’ postcode, ethnicity, or income, and we are working to reduce inequalities, so that everyone receives high quality care.
The Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit is focussed on achieving policy change so that fewer babies die, and inequalities in baby loss eliminated. Earlier this year the Joint Policy Unit released the Saving Babies’ Lives Progress Report - pulling together data from different sources for the first time to give everyone a shared understanding of the burden of pregnancy and baby loss across the UK.
The report highlighted the need for meaningful action to address stark and persistent inequalities by ethnicity, stating that:
“When women and birthing people do access care, there are reports of racism or discrimination based on their ethnicity, class, migration status or other factors”. This includes “seeing white bodies as the ‘norm’ and failing to recognise symptoms on black or brown skin, such as jaundice and sepsis.”
The two charities also co-lead the Maternity Consortium as members of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance.
Last year the Maternity Consortium developed a webinar on improving communication between healthcare professionals and families in neonatal units. The aim was to reduce inequity in neonatal care, because healthcare professionals had said they felt more comfortable building relationships with families who looked like them and were aware that this impacted how involved parents were in their baby’s care.
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