The COVID-19 crisis had a significant impact on how maternity services were delivered in London.
Some services were suspended, and restrictions were put on birth partners attending appointments, in many cases affecting the health and wellbeing of pregnant women.
The pandemic also starkly exposed the deep health inequalities that exist in the UK.
Maternal mortality rates are more than four times higher for Black women, two times higher for mixed ethnicity women, and almost twice as high for Asian women [1].
The London Assembly Health Committee will meet tomorrow to discuss the impact of the pandemic on maternal health and services in London.
The meeting will also examine the inequalities that exist across a range of maternal health outcomes in London and what action can be taken to address them.
The guests are:
- Dr Tom Coffey, Mayoral Health Advisor
- Tinuke Awe and Clotilde Abe, Co-founders, Five X More
- Maria Booker, Programmes Director, Birthrights
- Joeli Brearley, Founder and Director, Pregnant then Screwed
- Dr Marilena Korkodilos, Deputy Director, Health Improvement and Workforce Development and Clinical Lead for Revalidation, London, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID)
- Dr Suzanne Tyler, Executive Director Trade Union, Royal College of Midwives
The meeting will take place on Thursday, 30 June from 10am, in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.
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Notes to editors
- MBRRACE-UK, Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care, November 2021
- Full agenda papers.
- Krupesh Hirani AM, Chair of the Health Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Health Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For more details, please contact Emma Bowden in the Assembly Media Office on 07849 303897. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.