Question reference: S6W-24319
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 4 January 2024
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 January 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to reduce any inequalities in pregnancy loss and baby deaths of Black and Asian babies in Scotland.
Answer
We are dedicated to tackling inequalities in maternity experience and outcomes. That is why we asked NHS Boards to prioritise the roll-out of continuity of carer in maternity care, that underpins The Best Start programme leading to improved outcomes, for women from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as for women experiencing multiple social complexity.
In January 2023, we launched a programme of work with a focus on racialised inequalities in maternity, informed by data and evidence from reports, including MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK) confidential enquiries, audit reports, and third sector reports on the lived experiences of service users. We have established a short-life working group, bringing together third sector organisations, healthcare professionals, professional bodies and national networks to identify and take evidence-based actions addressing inequalities, with the voice of those with lived experience at the centre.