Black maternity experiences; The benefits of self-care; Trans and non-binary people share GP experiences
Calls to action after Black maternity survey
A new report concludes Black women in the UK are still facing barriers in maternity care and the system must do better. Five X More CIC – an organisation campaigning for Black maternal health outcomes in the UK – has published its Black Maternity Experiences Report 2025. The report builds on the findings from 2022 when Five X More published its Black Maternity Experiences Survey. The latest report – based on more than 1,100 survey responses – captures the lived experiences of Black women across the UK who have been pregnant or given birth in the last four years. Key findings include:
- Just over half of Black women experienced challenges with healthcare professionals.
- More than a quarter of Black women surveyed reported discrimination and a quarter of those said this was due to issues around race.
- More than 4 in 10 raised concerns during labour or birth, of these, almost half felt their concerns were not properly addressed.
- 2 in 10 women had been informed on how to make a complaint but less than 1 in 10 pursued a formal process.
Read more about the report on the Five X More website here.
Report findings highlight the benefits of self-care
PAGB has published its annual Self-Care Census Report exploring consumer trends in self-treatable conditions and self-care practices. The results from the survey of 4,000 adults across the UK support the case for prioritising self-care. Key findings include:
- 6 in 10 people use online sources to look up their symptoms and self treatable conditions.
- Almost half said they would trust a online source if recommended on the NHS Website or App.
- 1 in 10 of adults strongly agree they would go to A&E as their first option for treatment of self-treatable conditions.
The report highlights the benefits self-care can provide including reducing demand on the NHS, supporting the reduction of health inequalities and empowering people to take ownership of their own health. It also highlights next steps needed to help deliver the commitments to self-care outlined in the government's 10 Year Health Plan.
Read the full report on the PAGB website here.
Trans and non-binary people share GP care experiences
Research by Healthwatch has revealed the barriers trans and non-binary people face when seeking care from GPs. The survey of nearly 1,400 trans and non-binary adults highlighted the administrative hurdles and poor staff attitudes trans and non-binary people face. It explored experiences when people want to change their gender on their GP record or have their gender identity recognised in everyday interactions. Of the respondents who said they had formally changed their gender marker on their GP record:
- Nearly 3 in 10 said they had lost access to their previous NHS record.
- More than 2 in 10 said the NHS stopped offering them sex-based care, such as cervical screening.
- Nearly 2 in 10 said they were misgendered in NHS written communications.
Healthwatch has called for the government and NHS England to develop a new comprehensive LGBT+ healthcare strategy.
Read more about the survey findings on the Healthwatch website here.
Investigation highlights hospital discharge communication risks
An investigation by the Health Services Safety Investigations Bureau (HSSIB) has highlighted risks to patient safety associated with the quality and timeliness of hospital discharge communication. The HSSIB report said if critical clinical information is not communicated effectively at transitions of care, patients may come to harm. The investigation also found:
- A lack of integration contributes to discharge communications that do not ensure care continuity.
- The content of discharge correspondence, including discharge summaries, does not always meet the information needs of recipients to ensure safety-critical actions are handed over, understood and achieved.
- Medical staff writing discharge summaries recalled no specific education on the writing of user-centred and safe discharge correspondence.
Read more about the investigation on the HSSIB website here.
New toolkit to make health services work well for everyone
Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) has published a new toolkit designed to help policy makers and health and social care workers better connect with the people they help. Getting It Right For Everyone (GIRFE) is Scotland’s approach to designing and delivering public services that focus on people’s needs. The approach was created with service users and professionals from nine Health and Social Care Partnerships. The GIRFE principles – written from the person’s perspective – include:
- Having accessible information to make decisions.
- Being listened to and understood as a whole person.
- Having choices respected.
Find out more about the GIRFE toolkit on the ALLIANCE website here.
Campaign to inspire more blood donors
NHS Blood and Transplant is launching a new campaign Be There to inspire more blood donors to come forward and give blood this summer. The campaign is fronted by first responders working in the NHS. It highlights the life-saving power of blood donation and includes an advert which opens on the scene of a serious road traffic accident. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the urgent need for donors.
Find out more about the campaign on the NHS Blood and Transplant website here.
Plan to improve use of British Sign Language
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has set out its plans to improve the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in its communications in the next five years. Actions include improving the accessibility of its content on GOV.UK, increasing the use of BSL on its social media channels and strengthening engagement with the BSL community and stakeholders including the RNID.
Read more about the BSL plans on the DHSC website here.
Podcast: Getting under the skin of the NHS App
In this NHS England podcast, a panel discusses what teams can do to help patients get the most from the NHS App and how this supports better experiences for both patients and staff. The podcast, hosted by Emma Halliday, senior digital transformation manager at NHS England, includes contributions from NHS App ambassadors.