Leeds Maternity Care Fails Black, Asian Women

A critical review of maternity and neonatal services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals has highlighted serious concerns regarding the treatment of Black and Asian women. The report found that maternal outcomes for these groups are worse than for white women, aligning with national patterns. Babies from ethnic minority communities are also more likely to be born prematurely and require neonatal unit admission.

New mothers reported feeling traumatised by their care, experiencing inadequate after-care packages and a lack of debriefing support. Communication issues, lack of cultural awareness, and the absence of translation services exacerbated these challenges for women from asylum-seeking backgrounds. Astonishingly, despite a disproportionate number of Black and Asian babies in neonatal units, the walls displayed only pictures of white babies.

The review also exposed a difficult environment for staff, with those from ethnically diverse backgrounds facing higher reported levels of discrimination and bullying, and being under-represented in senior positions. Leeds Teaching Hospitals has acknowledged the findings, apologised for falling short of expected standards, and launched an Inclusion and Belonging Plan to implement necessary cultural changes.