We are delighted to announce that Ann Remmers, Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Lead at Health Innovation West of England, has been awarded the honour of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the King’s New Year Honours List 2026 for services to maternal and neonatal care. Ann Remmers, who last year was…
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The Black Maternity Matters Collaborative welcomes the publication of the National Maternity & Neonatal Investigation Interim Report and strongly supports its call for urgent, systemic action to tackle racial inequities in maternity and neonatal care. The findings continue to reinforce what communities and professionals across our region have been highlighting for many years: that women,…
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Friends and colleagues gathered in Bristol at the end of November for Black Maternity Matters’ third annual celebration and graduation ceremony. Now over 500 members strong, the event was a wonderful opportunity to come together and reflect on the achievements to date of the Black Maternity Matters collaborative, who presented the work they have been…
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On Tuesday 2 December, a second online event will take place to build on local momentum around renaming the Sims speculum. Back in September, members of the Black Maternity Matters collaborative organised a special community of practice meeting in response to a growing movement calling for the renaming of this medical instrument used in gynaecological…
Read moreThe Black Maternity Matters collaborative welcomes the government’s announcement of a rapid review into maternal and neonatal culture and safety, and particularly the focus on tackling inequalities in care for Black, Asian, and other underserved communities. Like the wider community working to end harm, poor outcomes and trauma for women, families, and babies racialised as…
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A recent real-world evaluation with NHS teams in Gloucestershire has found an app developed in the West Country is a promising digital tool for providing breastfeeding support. Despite evidence that breastfeeding benefits both babies and their mothers, the rates of breastfeeding in western countries like the UK have been low. Smartphone apps are increasingly being…
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In this blog, Jenn Garner and Ann Remmers report on our recent regional learning event, bringing together maternity and neonatal colleagues from across the region. On Wednesday 30 April, we were delighted to welcome colleagues from trusts across the West of England to the regional learning event for our Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programmes…
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An evaluation of the second training cohort of Black Maternity Matters demonstrates the programme has successfully helped maternity and neonatal staff in the West of England to increase their knowledge, skills and confidence in both understanding the impacts of racism and how it penetrates healthcare institutions. Black women in the UK remain more likely to…
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Members of the Black Maternity Matters collaborative are celebrating after scooping the award for ‘Community Project Impact’ at the prestigious Black Maternal Health Awards UK 2025. Held in London on Saturday 22 March to celebrate excellence across maternal healthcare, The Black Maternal Health Awards were hosted by The Motherhood Group. Black women in the UK remain…
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The Black Maternity Matters collaborative has made it to the finals of the prestigious Black Maternal Health Awards UK. We’ve been shortlisted in the Community Project category, which celebrates initiatives creating measurable change in maternal health outcomes at a local level. The Black Maternal Health Awards UK, spearheaded by The Motherhood Group, celebrate excellence across…
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