Patients have reported experiencing racism and discrimination within NHS wards, with accounts of “receiving unfair or unequal treatment, leading to delays, unsafe care with, at times, devastating outcomes,” according to findings from the recent maternity review led by Baroness Valerie Amos. The review, commissioned by the government, concluded that the maternity and neonatal system in England is “no longer fit to consistently deliver high-quality, compassionate care to every woman and family,” and highlighted a systemic failure to listen to women and address racial bias.
The experiences described by patients include stereotyping, racial slurs, Islamophobia and antisemitism. One Muslim patient recalled being asked “why are you wearing this?” while a Jewish patient was told “Jewish people are sneaky.” Such remarks reflect a broader pattern identified by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which found that “poor care had become normalised” within maternity services, with no services rated as ‘outstanding’ for safety and nearly half rated as ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’.
Types of discrimination reported
Discrimination reported by patients and families ranges from overt racial abuse to subtler forms of stereotyping that undermine clinical judgment. The Amos review noted that Asian women have been stereotyped as “princesses,” implying they are unable to cope with pain, while Black women have been described as having “tough skin” and being able to tolerate excessive pain. These stereotypes can lead to pain relief being withheld because staff do not believe patients are in labour, the review found.
Islamophobia and antisemitism were also explicitly recorded. Beyond the specific comments directed at Muslim and Jewish patients, staff working in maternity services have themselves experienced racism, “both from other staff and from women, birthing people and families,” the Amos review stated. The review also pointed to a “cover-up culture” within NHS trusts, where failures were minimised or concealed, leaving families without answers and undermining accountability.
Specific instances of stereotyping and prejudice
The most detailed examples of stereotyping and prejudice come from the Amos review and supporting investigations. The Ockenden review into Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, the largest maternity inquiry in NHS history, examined approximately 2,500 cases between 2012 and 2025 and concluded that 520 mothers and babies had died or suffered harm that was “potentially avoidable.” That report detailed a culture where bullying was tolerated, concerns were suppressed, and the voices of vulnerable women were dismissed. Families described being “left in the dark” and having to “fight for years to uncover the truth about what went wrong.”
Statistical disparities underline the consequences of such prejudice. Black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than white women, and Asian women are twice as likely to die. Black babies are three times more likely to die than white babies and are also more likely to suffer a brain injury. Stillbirth rates are over twice those for white babies, and neonatal mortality rates are 43% higher for Black babies. South Asian or Black women are more likely to have babies born early or small for gestational age, and South Asian women face higher risks of perineal tears and major obstetric haemorrhage, according to MBRRACE-UK reports.
These experiences have eroded trust. A 2023 report by the NHS Race and Health Observatory found that Black women are fearful of giving birth in the UK and have more stressful birth experiences, with some choosing to “go back to their homeland for the birth because they felt they were more understood there.” Meanwhile, the Amos review highlighted that women from ethnic minority backgrounds often face a combination of stereotyping and delayed care, leading to unsafe outcomes.
In response to these findings, the government has appointed the UK’s first national maternity commissioner, who will co-chair a new National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce and develop a National Action Plan due in December 2026. The commissioner will be accountable to Parliament and will have a “relentless focus on improving maternity and neonatal care.” New powers will allow future maternity reviews to compel cooperation from NHS staff, with sanctions of up to two years’ imprisonment for those who refuse to engage. Additional measures include rolling out Martha’s Rule to all maternity settings, allowing parents to request a rapid review from an independent medical team, and a £41 million investment to address urgent safety risks in maternity and neonatal facilities. Mandatory antisemitism and anti-racism training is being introduced across the NHS, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council is embedding new anti-racism principles into midwifery education.
The Amos review itself noted that the system requires “urgent reform to put safety at its centre, embed a focus on listening to women and ensure anti-racist practice at every level.” One Muslim patient’s question – “why are you wearing this?” – and the comment to a Jewish patient that “Jewish people are sneaky” remain among the most stark illustrations of the everyday prejudice that patients report on NHS wards.
