Midwives to Receive Anti-Racism Training

Why It Matters

Embedding anti‑racism training directly into midwifery education tackles systemic bias, offering a concrete path to reduce preventable maternal deaths and stillbirths among Black, Asian and minority‑ethnic women.

Key Takeaways

• NMC to embed anti‑racism principles in all UK midwifery programs.
• Black women three times more likely to die in pregnancy than whites.
• Black babies over twice as likely to be stillborn as white babies.
• Royal College of Midwives backs training and lived‑experience input.
• Government launches task‑force and anti‑discrimination programme for maternity care.

Pulse Analysis

The United Kingdom faces a stark maternal health disparity, with Black women three times more likely to die during pregnancy and their infants over twice as likely to be stillborn than white families. These outcomes reflect entrenched structural racism within maternity services, a problem highlighted by the MBRRACE‑UK report and amplified by recent public inquiries. By confronting bias at the educational level, the NMC hopes to shift clinical culture before new midwives enter the workforce, creating a preventative layer that addresses inequity at its source.

The NMC’s anti‑racism curriculum will be rolled out across all university midwifery courses by late spring, incorporating explicit principles, bias‑awareness modules, and cultural‑curiosity training. Crucially, the framework will be co‑designed with Black, Asian and minority‑ethnic individuals who have experienced poor maternity outcomes, ensuring lived‑experience informs pedagogy. The Royal College of Midwives has pledged support, while the Department of Health and Social Care is launching a parallel anti‑discrimination programme and a high‑level task‑force to accelerate systemic reforms. This coordinated approach signals a policy shift from reactive investigations to proactive education.

If implemented effectively, the training could narrow the mortality gap, improve patient‑provider trust, and set a benchmark for other health professions. However, success depends on consistent university adoption, robust monitoring, and ongoing funding for mentorship and community engagement. For investors and stakeholders in the UK health sector, the initiative represents both a risk mitigation strategy—reducing costly litigation and reputational damage—and an opportunity to champion equity‑focused innovation across the NHS and private providers.