Nursing and Midwifery Council to embed ‘anti-racism principles’

On 8 April, the Nursing and Midwifery Council announced plans to embed “anti-racism principles” in midwifery teaching across UK universities. The move forms part of an effort to tackle the health crisis among Black and brown individuals during childbirth.

As part of its announcement, the Nursing and Midwifery Council acknowledged recent, shocking figures from campaign group Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK). They stated that:

Black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy or in the immediate postnatal period, and maternal mortality rates for Asian women are 1.3 times as high compared with White women. The figures also show that Black babies are over twice as likely to be stillborn as white babies – with Asian babies 50% more likely to be stillborn.

Interim Amos report

These results were further supported by similar findings from the Health and Social Care Committee, Five x More and Birthrights. Likewise, back in June 2025, the government announced an independent, national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services.

Valerie Amos, a Labour member and baroness of the House of Lords, is chairing the inquiry. Amos’ interim report, published in February, was damning in terms of structural racism, discrimination, and inequalities, causing a “notably higher risk of adverse outcomes” for Black and Asian parents.

This discrimination against racialised parents is hardly new information. However, Amos shed light on just how little improvement there has been in this regard, reporting that:

Babies of Black ethnicity are more than twice as likely to be stillborn, and are at increased risk of preterm birth and neonatal admission at term when compared with White babies. Neonatal mortality rates are also higher for Black and Asian babies compared with White babies, and there is variation in neonatal care delivery between ethnic groups.

Stereotyping from clinical staff was also a frequent issue. Black patients reported being treated as though they were tolerant to pain due to their “tough skin”. Meanwhile, Asians were stereotyped as “princesses” who were too demanding and unable to handle pain.

‘A national emergency’

Paul Rees, the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s interim CEO and registrar, explained:

Black and Asian women are more likely to die during pregnancy or in the immediate postnatal period, and their babies are more likely to be stillborn.

The situation is totally unacceptable and is a national emergency.

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To help tackle the Black maternal health crisis we’re calling on our education partners to embed the new principles which will enable us to embed anti-racism, bias awareness and cultural curiosity, safety and respect across all midwifery education in the four countries of the UK.

We hope that this initiative will make a real difference, meaning that Black, Asian and minority ethnic mothers, babies and families have a far better experience of maternity care across the four countries of the UK.

Although individual universities design their own curricula for midwifery, they have to conform to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s standards. As such, the council approves and keeps watch on training programs across the UK.

As part of its new push to improve outcomes for Black and Brown people during childbirth, the Nursing and Midwifery Council has stated that it will:

work with all universities delivering midwifery education, to make anti-racism, bias awareness and cultural curiosity, safety and respect more explicit in their curricula.

The council plans to publish the final version of its new guidance later in the spring. Over the coming weeks, it will workshop the document with the help of Black and Brown people with “lived experience of poor outcomes” in maternity services.

‘An urgent priority’ for the Nursing and Midwifery Council

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Nursing and Midwifery Council is also supporting the in its endeavor, alongside running its own ‘Race Matters’ campaign.  The initiative’s stated aim is to “dismantle systematic racism within the midwifery profession”.

Gill Walton, chief executive of the RCM, said:

That Black, Asian and minority ethnic women continue to face such stark inequalities in maternity care is a disgrace and tackling this must be an urgent priority for the whole profession. The NMC’s new anti-racism principles are a vital step in the right direction.

This initiative builds on work the RCM has already been doing. In 2023 we launched our Decolonising Midwifery Education Toolkit – the first of its kind, co-created with educators, students and service users – to address the continuing legacy of colonialism within midwifery training. We subsequently developed our Decolonising Midwifery Practice position paper, setting out clear asks for government, NHS Trusts and Health Boards and individual practitioners.

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Whilst the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s move toward actively anti-racist teaching is a welcome one, the findings of the interim Amos report show starkly and clearly that midwifery has a long way to go to correct its shocking racial biases.

This must form the foundation for a revolution in the practice, to avoid further prolonging the scandal of Black and Brown peoples’ deaths and serious harm during childbirth.

Featured image via the Canary