Ms Abena Oppong-Asare
MP for Erith and Thamesmead · Labour · United Kingdom
“I welcome the statement and I support the Be Ready campaign. The Committee heard from the fire and rescue service, which is very much in support of the whole society resilience approach. A constant theme was the need for clarity on the role that the Government would like the fire and rescue service to play in this space.”
House of Commons27 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank the Secretary of State for her work on this. Some campaigners have raised concerns about past methods and how the Government have come to the conclusions on which they have legislated. There are concerns that legislation could be gamed by developers, making the situation much worse for residents.”
House of Commons27 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I warmly welcome the Minister’s statement. I had the opportunity to attend the summit, and I agree that prevention is the key to ending rough sleeping. I ask the Minister to implement all the Committee recommendations from the rough sleeping inquiry—I know the Government have implemented some of them.”
House of Commons26 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Like other Members, I want to take the opportunity to reflect on the trailblazers who have opened the doors for people like me: my right hon. Friend the Member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington (Ms Abbott), the first black woman elected to Parliament; Paul Boateng, Britain’s first black Cabinet Minister, also of Ghanaian descent, who…”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I believe in freedom of speech, robust debate and the exchange of ideas, but I also believe that we need to challenge racism and hatred whenever we encounter it. No one should feel unable to participate in public life because of abuse and intimidation.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Seeing someone like her, from my community, achieving so much really mattered to me. I have spoken about this before, but not everybody knows the story, and I think it is important that we talk about the paths we have taken to get here.”
House of Commons22 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
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“I have constituents who are heartbroken and devastated about the continuing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Hospitals and patients, particularly babies, must be protected and cannot become targets. Does the Minister agree that the aid that is getting into Gaza is still completely insufficient, and that it is unacceptable that siege conditions have not been lifted?”
House of Commons14 November 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Does the Minister not agree they are failing women in the workplace and damaging the economy as a result? I finish by praising all who took part in the menopause revolution in our country. I am sure the whole House will agree that not only has this revolution begun but that it will continue to grow. Central to the revolution is my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East, whom I congratulate again on championing this cause. If we get this right, the difference we can make for the millions of menopausal women will be life-changing, benefiting them and all future generations of women, so that no woman has to suffer in silence again.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“These important steps are part of our plans for a new deal for working people and will make Britain work for working women. These reforms will give hope to women and significantly help all who work so hard to hold their jobs and care for their children and families while experiencing the challenges and symptoms of menopause. This is the right thing to do for these women, but it is also good for employers and the economy as a whole. It is a tragedy that one in 10 women experiencing menopause leave their jobs and 14% reduce their hours due to lack of support in the workplace. That means hundreds of thousands of women are reducing their hours, giving up promotions or quitting their jobs because of the menopause. Labour is on the side of these women, wherever they work, and unlike the Government, we have committed to take the required action.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Friend the Member for Swansea East has said, it is a very bad sign when only 14% of the 13 million women experiencing the menopause in this country are getting treatment. I hope the Minister can update the House on the Government’s actions on ensuring that shortages of these essential treatments do not happen again and improving access to HRT for women. Fundamental to progress for women experiencing menopause would be progress for women in the workplace. As my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East (Anneliese Dodds) has announced, a Labour Government would advance this issue by bringing in menopause action plans for large employers and publishing guidance for small businesses to support women suffering with menopause symptoms.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“But while progress has been made on access to HRT, the Minister will surely be aware that women face an HRT postcode lottery, and, as with so many health issues, those in the most deprived areas are least likely to receive support. It is important that we tackle the structural inequalities that contribute to poor health for disadvantaged groups. Additionally, we must not forget the serious failures that have led to the continued shortage of HRT drugs. Women seeking to access HRT are still being failed by the system, with drugs unavailable and alternatives out of reach. This has left so many women with debilitating symptoms, extending unnecessary pain and suffering. Education and informing clinicians are no good if we do not also improve access to HRT and end shortages. As my hon.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Turning to the availability of hormone replacement therapy products, I want first to commend the progress that has been made, and again praise the work of my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East. It was her private Member’s Bill and her determined campaigning which, two years ago, saw the Government finally commit to reducing dramatically the cost of HRT prescriptions for women in England. I commend her on not giving up—on raising awareness and constantly pushing for change on this issue. It is also important to acknowledge the positive steps we are introducing, with a dedicated page on the NHS website for women’s health. I hope this becomes an invaluable source for women to access the latest information and advice on menopause, HRT and all women’s health issues.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is therefore essential that we seek to improve the education and training of healthcare professionals across the NHS with regard to the menopause. As well as looking at those who are training now, we must look at those who are currently practising—those whom we currently rely on to diagnose and assist the millions of women experiencing the menopause today. Furthermore, as with all health concerns, early detection is essential. When it comes to menopause, early detection can prevent much unnecessary pain and suffering. That is why Labour has been so focused on making our health and care services deliver a prevention first revolution that would support our NHS, our economy and, importantly, women. If we fail to progress on awareness, early detection and prevention, we are surely failing at the first hurdle.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is one step further in this positive campaign, and in the work my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East has done to put the menopause on the map and act on an issue that has been in the shadows for far too long. She is a trailblazer, and I am privileged to have the opportunity in my new brief to work more closely alongside her on these issues and make sure we realise many of the changes she has been fighting for. Education on the menopause is the first important step towards progress: when seeing our GP, we rely on their knowledge and guidance, yet too often, we hear stories of women who go to their GP again and again without proper diagnosis. Some women have said that it is a gamble whether their individual doctor prescribes them the treatment they need, which has been echoed in some of the contributions to this debate.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Friend the Member for Swansea East has mentioned on previous occasions, although women are 51% of the UK population, only 59% of medical schools included mandatory menopause education in their curriculum. Further important findings were released last week by Menopause Mandate reinforcing the inadequacy of support. Those findings confirm that not only do nearly all women experiencing the menopause find that the symptoms have a negative impact on their quality of life, but the vast majority face negative experiences at their GP and significant barriers at work. The finding that only 24% of women have a positive experience at their GP is surely a damning indication of how much further there is to go. I warmly welcome the release of the manifesto by the APPG on menopause and the important words that have been spoken by Members today.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will not be presenting any groundbreaking information today, since all Members present are aware of the inadequate quality of care and support that women currently receive. For instance, there is the staggering finding—which has been highlighted —that nearly one in 10 women must consult their GP on 10 separate occasions before receiving proper guidance and support regarding the menopause. Of those women who did eventually receive treatment, 44% waited at least one year, and 12% waited more than five years. I am sure Members agree that those statistics are staggering. One in 10 women have quit their job because of menopause symptoms, despite the fact that menopause affects every woman. As my hon.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“He highlighted the fact that over half of the workforce are women, and with one in 10 women leaving work because of the menopause, we need to do more to retain their skills. The hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) powerfully explained how women have to fight before symptoms are taken seriously, and the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) talked about how his wife went through menopause and how it is important to understand this issue at home. I thank him for sharing his personal story. As we all know, for far too long women’s health has been a marginalised issue, and when it comes to women’s health, the issue of menopause is critical. It affects every woman, yet time and again, we in this country have neglected doing the right and obvious thing: to support women experiencing the menopause.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is important that we all discuss this issue and that it is not just on the shoulders of women to raise it. As the hon. Member for Walsall North (Eddie Hughes) said, our role as MPs is to inform people, and particularly men, who have a powerful role to play in providing the support that is needed. He also talked about the phs Group, which has been doing great work on this issue. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford South (Judith Cummins), who highlighted really well the fact that menopause is not just a women’s issue but a health issue for everyone. My hon. Friend the Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Gerald Jones) talked about how companies can play a role by ensuring that employees are supported through the menopause and about Labour’s plans for the workforce.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East (Carolyn Harris) on securing this important Backbench Business debate; I am sure we all agree that she has been a fantastic champion on this issue. I would also like to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bootle (Peter Dowd) for opening the debate. I can say with certainty that he did this debate justice, talking powerfully about the concerns of my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East, as well as referencing where improvements need to be made and the newly launched “Manifesto for Menopause” by the menopause APPG. They have done fantastic work. I thank those who have contributed to today’s discussion. It has been particularly uplifting to see male colleagues also speaking in the debate.”
House of Commons26 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Instead, I am concerned that they have weakened standards for patients, who are paying more tax but getting worse care. On the important issue of provision of IVF treatment, I welcome the ambitions outlined in the women’s health strategy. I hope that, along with Megan and Whitney’s powerful story, the Minister has been listening to hon. Members, especially my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow, who has made it clear that the reforms need to happen sooner rather than later. I urge the Minister to assure us today that there will be full implementation of these aims, and to give us a timeline for when they will occur. I urge her to give us hope that there will be an end to the postcode lottery, and to the inequality in provision faced by so many individuals and partners across England and the UK.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The women’s health strategy seeks to remove non-clinical access criteria to fertility treatment, and to address geographical variation in access to NHS-funded fertility services. We on the Labour Benches welcome that ambition, but we know, as do the Government, that it cannot be realised without providing the NHS with the staff and resources it needs. As part of the work, the Minister has said that her Department will work with NHS England to assess fertility provision across ICBs, with a view to removing non-clinical access criteria. Can she confirm the extent of her conversations with NHS England and update Members on the timeline for making the changes? For far too long, women and their partners have faced unnecessary obstacles to accessing IVF treatment. The Government have had 13 years to address those problems.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“There is an urgent need to reverse the growth of NHS waiting lists in gynaecology, and to ensure that women can access high-quality, timely care and treatment. I know that the Minister and this Government have committed to tackling those extraordinary waiting times, and I hope that she can update us regarding their progress on this critical issue. We all know that the quicker women are seen, the better the outcome will be. Another critical factor is non-clinical access criteria, where mothers and parents can be denied access to treatment because of their relationship status—as pointed out by my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow—their body mass index, or the fact that one partner has a child from a former relationship.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In fact, the use of privately funded IVF cycles by patients across the UK aged 18 to 34 increased to 63% in 2021 from 52% in 2019. That coincides with a fall across the board in numbers of NHS-funded IVF cycles. It is a damning result, highlighting the lack of support available on the NHS for women in the UK. Women are being forced to go private, and parents and families up and down the country face the added financial burden. The Government must acknowledge that one of the main reasons for the falling levels of provision has been the extraordinary waiting times that women face prior to starting treatment. As the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has shown, although waiting lists were growing too quickly before the pandemic, the impact of the pandemic has made the situation significantly worse.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As the Minister will know, that means that LGBTQI+ couples are forced to go privately and end up paying large sums of money—thousands or even tens of thousands of pounds— before they can access NHS fertility services. I agree with the crucial point that the Government must commit to tackling inequality in access to NHS-funded fertility services. ICBs should ensure fair access to treatment for all, and ensure that individuals within the LGBTQI+ community, including lesbians, bi women and trans individuals, are not left behind but have the same access to NHS-funded care. However, sadly, going private is now not the last resort but the norm for all individuals in England. In recent years, fewer and fewer women can access IVF treatments on the NHS, with everyone else having to go private.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Friend about the need to break down barriers for all couples. As Stonewall has highlighted in its campaign on this issue, LGBTQI+ couples face incredible financial costs to achieve the same outcomes as everyone else. While the women’s health strategy pledged to remove financial barriers for female same-sex couples in England, the statistics prove that little progress has been made. According to Stonewall’s research, only four of the 42 ICBs in England officially provide NHS funding for artificial insemination, and nine in 10 ICBs in England still require same-sex couples to self-fund at least six cycles of intrauterine insemination before they are eligible for IVF treatment on the NHS.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“While in some areas women under 40 can access three cycles of IVF, in other areas they are offered one or even none. For example, in 2020, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service used freedom of information requests to find out that 86 clinical commissioning groups—now ICBs—funded only one cycle of treatment. More concerningly, it found that three CCGs in England did not provide any funding for IVF services at all. In fact, only 23 CCGs funded three cycles as recommended by NICE. Unsurprisingly, the provision of IVF services across England, as pointed out by my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow, has been described as a postcode lottery. I am sure we all agree that this is not right, that the policies are unfair and out of date, and that they must be updated as soon as possible. I want to tackle the important issue raised by my hon.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“This medical procedure has transformed countless lives, providing hope and the possibility of parenthood to those who might otherwise never experience it. While IVF is a celebrated medical advancement, the lack of accessibility and the inequality of provision in England and across the UK are issues that cannot and should not be ignored. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is responsible for making recommendations about who should have access to IVF treatment on the NHS in England. The current guidelines for England recommend that IVF should be offered to women under the age of 43 who have been trying to get pregnant for two years, as has been mentioned. The exact NICE recommendation is three full cycles for women under 40 and one full cycle for women aged 40 to 42.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Alex Davies-Jones) for sharing her personal story and for her work on the private Member’s Bill, the Fertility Treatment (Transparency) Bill. As we all know, becoming a parent can be a special and rewarding time for many people. It is the start of an exciting journey into parenthood and a time to celebrate new life. However, as we have heard, there are many challenges that women and families face when conceiving and many challenges in the way of those who seek NHS fertility treatments. As my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow powerfully said, the challenges—both financial and emotional—for LGBTQ+ couples are so much higher. IVF is one of several techniques available to help people become pregnant.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am sure everyone will agree with me that this has been a good debate, and that it is clear that a number of changes need to be made for the sake of equality and fairness. I also thank the hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Nickie Aiken), who has clearly done a lot of work in this area, for talking about the barriers that individuals may face in the workplace when undergoing IVF treatment. She mentioned businesses signing up to the fertility workplace pledge. The hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) spoke about how the IVF process was impacting his constituents and, as always, gave a helpful picture of the situation in Northern Ireland. I also thank my hon.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a pleasure, as always, to serve under your chairship this morning, Mr Robertson. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Kate Osborne) on securing this important debate, and thank her for championing such an important issue so eloquently today. She talked about the barriers that LGBTQI+ couples face to having children, particularly being priced out, and the fact that while the guidance is good, more work needs to be done. I thank Megan and Whitney for sharing their hard-hitting story, along with many others who have done so much work to ensure that we are informed about these challenges. I know that there was an urgent briefing yesterday on IVF provision.”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Minister may be about to get to this point, so I apologise if I have intervened too quickly. In terms of transparency, it is great that the Minister is publishing the data, but what are the Government doing to make sure that more work is being done by ICBs to provide a better—or adequate—service, given that publishing data does not require them to take any action?”
House of Commons24 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I congratulate the hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) on securing Second Reading of the Bill. I thank the right hon. Member for Tatton (Esther McVey) and the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) for participating in the debate. I have listened attentively to the issues they raise. I will begin by setting out Labour’s position on the matter. We believe that the covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective. It has saved countless lives, not only in Britain but across the globe. Over the course of the pandemic, over 230,000 people across the UK died with covid-19. Therefore, it is important we do not understate that getting a vaccination has been, and continues to be, the single most effective way to reduce deaths and severe illness from covid-19.”
House of Commons20 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Those reports suggests that hundreds of people have been waiting over 12 months for an outcome, with some waiting more than 18 months. In fact, following a question about the VDPS earlier this year, the Prime Minister vowed to improve the scheme, so I will be interested to hear from the Minister about the Government’s response to tackling those delays. Will the Minister confirm that the Government believe that the scheme is fit for purpose and whether they plan to update it? Will the Government assure us that the NHS Business Services Authority has the capacity to process applications to the VDPS in a timely manner? I urge Ministers to meet and engage with affected individuals and their families to look at ways to improve diagnosis and treatment and at how claims under the VDPS can be addressed more quickly.”
House of Commons20 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is therefore right that our healthcare system and this Government do all they can to improve the diagnosis and treatment of those who have suffered from this. The yellow card scheme already collects and monitors information on suspected safety concerns, and a dedicated team of scientists reviews information to monitor the vaccine roll out. I encourage everyone to keep using that scheme, to ensure that information can be collected. Where vaccine damage tragically occurs, it is right that individuals and families can access the vaccine damage payment scheme. It is important that that scheme is fit for purpose and that the Government act to make that happen. There have been reports of operational delays within the vaccine damage payment scheme.”
House of Commons20 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is important for me to set out Labour’s position on the matter. Without the vaccine and the work of scientists, volunteers and NHS staff, we would not have been able to end the lockdowns and return to our daily lives. I am sure we all agree on that. Therefore, the shadow health and social care team remain extraordinarily grateful to all those who have worked so hard to build and roll out the vaccines across the UK. However, while the covid-19 vaccination programme has been hugely successful, there have been some extremely rare cases of people sadly suffering side effects and deteriorating health with possible links to covid-19 vaccines. While serious and adverse events are rare compared to the number of doses administered, when they do occur, they can have unexpected and life-changing implications.”
House of Commons20 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Getting a vaccination is too important for the health of this nation—indeed, this world—to be playing fast and loose with the facts. Although the Opposition do not support the Bill, we hope that the Government will tackle the issues that I and other hon. Members have raised, and address whether further action is required.”
House of Commons20 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As I have said, I have asked the Minister to meet members of the families who are directly affected to see whether there are ways to improve the scheme, and how that could be addressed more quickly. That is the best step forward, and we need to listen to individuals regarding tailored support and where it needs to be improved. Finally, it would be remiss of me not to join colleagues in calling out the scourge of vaccine misinformation. Getting a vaccine is so important, especially for those who are most vulnerable. We must ensure that all vaccine misinformation is debunked, and that the most important message, that the vaccine is safe and effective, is shared. I hope the Minister will echo my remarks on the danger of misinformation.”
House of Commons20 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We need measures to address all these problems early. Let me end by again congratulating the hon. Member for Stafford on securing the debate. I know it is not easy for her to share her story, and I hope she feels reassured that she has taken a significant step today in raising such an important issue.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Minister must tell us how she plans to keep the staff whom we currently have and ensure that the problems do not continue to worsen. On top of those shortcomings, there is the problem that when a mother needs mental health support, the resources simply are not there. Midwives do not have the expertise or the time, and the result is that parents’ mental health is not being fully assessed. Overall, patients seeking mental health treatment spent more than 5.4 million hours waiting in A&E in 2021 and 2022. The reality is that patients are waiting or being overlooked rather than getting the support that they need. It is therefore no surprise that the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers has said that mental health services are over- stretched and understaffed, and that trusts are deeply concerned about the levels of unmet need.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is the Government’s role to break down barriers and solve the difficult problems that we face, but it sometimes seems that those barriers are becoming higher and higher. I want to raise with the Minister some concerns about the women’s health strategy. It lacks a plan to tackle the increasing waiting lists and a plan to enhance maternity care standards, and it fails to address the persistent staffing shortages. As my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield North (Feryal Clark) has said previously, it is plainly inadequate. The Royal College of Midwives told me this week that fundamental to delivering better maternity care is having enough midwives. The fact is that midwives are leaving the profession in droves, and the Government are failing to stop it happening.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“These are fundamental services providing vital care for women; they are not luxury extras. We need to ensure that in all parts of the country, women who have experienced birth trauma and are struggling with their mental health have access to specialist support, and that there is continued funding in every area to meet the level of need that we know is out there. That is the alliance’s ask of the Minister. I want to make it clear that I am not saying we do not appreciate the vast majority of our NHS and healthcare workers. Labour believes that the NHS is the backbone of our country, and will never abandon the founding principles of the NHS as a publicly funded public service, free at the point of use. However, as with so many other issues, this Government are presiding over a healthcare system that is going backwards rather than forward.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Friend the Member for Ilford North (Wes Streeting), I met representatives of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance. They welcome the roll-out of maternal mental health services in some parts of the country, focusing on those with mental health difficulties arising from trauma or loss related to childbirth, fear of childbirth, miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, pregnancy termination and loss of custody whose needs are not currently met by other services. What concerns them is that these services are not available in every part of England. As the hon. Member for Stafford pointed out, there is significant variation in the support offered by the services that been rolled out so far, creating a postcode lottery for women, babies and families. The alliance is also concerned about the lack of sustainable funding for many services.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Friend the Member for Canterbury —that maternal mortality among black women is currently almost four times higher than it is among white women. That is why Labour’s mission sets an explicit target to end the black maternal mortality gap. The pandemic, of course, exacerbated those existing inequalities, particularly among the most vulnerable women in our society. As we heard from the hon. Member for Stafford and my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury, the feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and fear that those with birth trauma endure are traumatic for all, but for women also to know that they are more at risk because of their race, their income or where they live is shocking, sad and wrong. Yesterday, along with the shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my hon.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is therefore not surprising to hear that, according to the Birth Trauma Association, between about 4% and 5% of women who give birth develop a post-traumatic stress disorder: that is about 30,000 women a year in the UK. The symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, and extreme anxiety that make daily life immensely challenging. This is a shocking and sad indictment of the current system and shows how much more needs to be done. We should also not forget the vast health inequalities that exist across Britain. We should all be aware of the fact that women in the nation’s most deprived areas are 3.5 times more likely to die from an avoidable cause than those in the least deprived areas, and the fact—mentioned by my hon.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As for postnatal care, only 70% of mothers were “always” given the help that they needed when contacting a midwifery or health visiting team, a fall of nearly 10% since 2019. The downward trends continue: less than half—just 45%—said that they could “always” get support or advice about feeding their babies during evenings, nights or weekends, down from 56% in 2017, and just 59% said they were always given the information and explanations that they needed during their care in hospital, down from 66% in 2017. What those statistics show is that mothers do not have full confidence in our system, and things are only getting worse.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is the start of an exciting journey into parenthood and a time to celebrate new life. However, it is clear that, at a moment of such importance and sensitivity, when complications occur the right support does not always follow. The statistics on maternity outcomes lay bare the problem that we face. The level of support is down, satisfaction is down, and confidence and trust in the system is down. The Care Quality Commission’s “Maternity survey 2022” reported that women’s experiences of care had deteriorated in the last five years. The proportion of women contacting a midwifery team who were given the help that they needed during antenatal care dropped from 74% in 2017 to 69% in 2022.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Friend the Member for Canterbury said about how her friends and family have to name-drop her before they can get the support that they deserve. I thank the hon. Members for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) and for Truro and Falmouth (Cherilyn Mackrory), too, for sharing their stories. I also thank the mothers with experience of this issue who are watching in the Chamber, and organisations that are working really hard on the issue. This has been a very constructive debate. As we have heard, birth trauma is a difficult experience for anyone, but it has been in the shadows for far too long. It is right that we are speaking about it today and making it clear to the Government and all Members of the House that there is progress to be made. Pregnancy, birth and becoming a parent can be a special and rewarding time for many people.”
House of Commons19 October 2023Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank the hon. Member for Stafford (Theo Clarke) for securing this important debate. I know that she has worked hard to raise this issue both in the Chamber and through her work outside it. I want to express my deep admiration of her for sharing in public such a moving story about a terrifying experience. That takes a lot of courage. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Rosie Duffield) for her kindness and congratulate her on her work on the newly launched all-party parliamentary group for birth trauma. I know that it will be successful and productive. I thank the hon. Member for Moray (Douglas Ross) for sharing his personal story and being an ally. He rightly said that it is shameful that this is happening in 2023, and that is linked to what my hon.”
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“We want our NHS back on its feet and fit for the future. I therefore look forward to hearing from the Minister about what work she has been doing with the NHS, charities and all those campaigning for change, and I also look forward to hearing what the Department has been and will be doing to reduce baby loss and support those grieving.”
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“Furthermore, severe staffing shortages mean women can no longer expect to see the same midwife from scan to delivery. On top of that, the Government have rejected the Women and Equalities Committee recommendation to set a target and strategy to end disparities in maternal deaths. The pace of progress in enhancing maternity services has been frustratingly slow. They must set clear targets to address inequalities in maternal and neonatal outcomes. By doing that, they could ensure the delivery of safe care to all mothers and their babies. The Opposition welcome the long-awaited NHS workforce plan, which mirrors the commitment we have been calling for, and the next Labour Government will deliver on those aims. Alongside that, we will reform the NHS so that it is there for people when they need it.”
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“As well as tackling that, we must commit to supporting parents and families as they face the difficult process of grieving. All families affected by baby loss must receive the best care and support as soon as possible. We know that the sooner they get it, the better that care is for them, yet access to bereavement support varies across the country. Although most NHS trusts in England have joined the national bereavement care pathway, Ministers should do everything possible to improve provision. There has also been a longstanding campaign by Sands for access to well-resourced continuity of carer models to ensure consistency in the midwife or clinical team. That would provide care for a mother and baby throughout the maternity journey. However, the Government have dropped the target for most women to have access to continuity of care.”
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“That is 5.6 stillbirths per 1,000 births in the most deprived areas compared with 2.7 per 1,000 births in the least deprived. As Members would expect, the same shocking disparities occur in the neonatal mortality rate and the infant mortality rate. Important work by groups already mentioned, such as Five X More, have highlighted that stillbirth rates for black babies are twice as high as for white babies, and neonatal death rates are 45% higher. It is therefore clear that there is still so much more work to be done in this area, and I urge the Government to address these inequalities and the calls for changes and improvements to the system. We must accelerate this decline in the rates and tackle the appalling health inequalities that our country faces.”
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“To meet this target, the rate would need to decrease to 2.6 per 1,000 births. Instead, last year the stillbirth rate for England was 3.9 per 1,000 births, so it will be important to hear from the Minister about her plans to accelerate our progress towards this target. We also know that there remain significant geographical, racial and socioeconomic inequalities in these rates. For example, a few years ago NHS England reported that there was still a variation of about 25% in stillbirth rates across England. Office for National Statistics figures indicate that this geographical inequality persists. To be exact, the 2021 stillbirth rate for the 10% most deprived areas of England was more than twice as high as the rate in the 10% least deprived areas.”
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“However, I want Members to know that, although I am new to this role, like so many I have long been an advocate of tackling the persistent issues that mothers in the UK face. Constituents have shared with me their personal stories about their loss and the difficult grieving process that follows. I thank them all for sharing their stories to incentivise change. One constituent who lost her daughter said to me: “My daughter matters. They all do.” I want to share: “You are remembered, and you are missed.” When it comes to the rate of mortality, it is good to know that levels have continually decreased in the last few decades. However, we will all be concerned that the rate of this decrease has slowed over recent years. Overall, the Government have set an ambition to halve the 2010 stillbirth rate in England by 2025.”
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“As Members may know, I am new to my role as the shadow Minister for women’s health and mental health. As such, I want to begin by sharing my deepest sympathies with all parents who have suffered the worst tragedy possible: the loss of their child. It is a privilege to have this opportunity to speak out, raise awareness and support change. Members may know a friend, loved one or constituent who has faced this terrible ordeal, and there is no more devastating experience. That is why this debate is so important. As previous speakers have highlighted, we must continue to stand up and champion the cause of Baby Loss Awareness Week to support families dealing with the grief of baby loss and to prevent it from happening in the first place.”
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“Friend is pleased that the Government have responded positively to the issues they have been campaigning on, which includes a trial of a graded model for sporadic and recurrent miscarriage care at Tommy’s in Birmingham. I also pay tribute to members of the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance, including Sands, and all the charities involved in that work. They work together to drive through change and improvements in policy, research and bereavement care, and it is because of their great work that Baby Loss Awareness Week is such a great success each year. Furthermore, it is important to highlight the instrumental work of the all-party parliamentary group on baby loss. I applaud its work in supporting the establishment of the national bereavement care pathway, and its promotion of this debate and of Baby Loss Awareness Week in Parliament.”
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