National and regional priorities
Evidence continues to show that inequalities in maternity outcomes and experiences remain significant at both national and local levels, including in Kirklees. These inequalities are persistent, avoidable and closely linked to deprivation, ethnicity and wider social determinants of health.
National policy, guidance and independent inquiries consistently emphasise the need to improve safety, equity and experience in maternity care, with a strong focus on listening to women and reducing inequalities. The NHS England Three year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services brings together learning from Better Births , the Ockenden review and the East Kent investigation , alongside the NHS Long Term Plan . These reflect a clear and consistent national expectation that maternity services must deliver safer, more personalised and more equitable care, with women's voices at the heart of decision making.
The Ockenden review and the recent Ockenden Review of Maternity Services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust , alongside other national investigations, highlighted significant and systemic failures in maternity care, including poor safety culture, inadequate learning from clinical incidents and repeated failures to listen to women and act on their concerns. These findings underline the importance of strengthening communication, accountability and continuity of care, and ensuring that women and families are actively heard, respected and responded to throughout their maternity journey.
A consistent finding across national inquiries and confidential enquiries, including MBRRACE-UK , is that inequalities in maternal and infant outcomes remain deeply rooted. Women from Black, Asian and mixed ethnicity backgrounds, and those living in more deprived communities, continue to experience higher risks of maternal morbidity and mortality, stillbirth and poorer infant outcomes. Reducing these inequalities is a central national priority and a key driver of maternity transformation.
National policy also places strong emphasis on strengthening advocacy, listening to women and learning from lived experience. Guidance on Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships (MNVPs) reinforces expectations that women and families, particularly those from under-represented communities, are actively involved in shaping services, improving safety and driving system improvement. This reflects consistent learning from national reviews that failures to listen to women are closely associated with unsafe care and poorer outcomes.
The Women's Health Strategy for England further highlights that too many women feel unheard within the healthcare system, with maternity care identified as a priority area for improvement. The strategy sets a clear expectation that services must strengthen personalised care, culturally competent communication and advocacy, with a particular focus on addressing the inequalities experienced by Black, Asian and disadvantaged communities.
Regionally, the West Yorkshire Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) prioritises reducing inequalities in maternity outcomes and experiences through its Equity and Equality Action Plan. This includes using data and insight to understand variation by population group and geography, improving access and continuity of care, and strengthening advocacy and support for women who face the greatest barriers to being heard. These regional priorities provide an important framework for local action in Kirklees and align closely with the ambitions set out in this report.
Taken together, these national and regional priorities provide a clear mandate for local action, reinforcing the need to better understand how inequalities are experienced in Kirklees and how women's voices can shape safer, more equitable care.
