Improvements to interpreting services are ‘crucial’ to support pregnant women who have recently arrived in the UK and do not speak English, a new report says.
In its latest perinatal confidential enquiry, MBRRACE-UK reviewed the care of 25 women whose baby was stillborn or died within 7 days of birth, all of whom had come to the UK less than two years previously and had a preferred language other than English.
In more than two thirds of cases (68%), MBRRACE-UK identified improvements to care that could have changed the outcome of the pregnancy. Only 1 of the women received care it defined as ‘good’.
In almost three quarters (73%) of all contacts between the pregnant women and healthcare services, there was no formal record of any professional interpretation provision. In 50% of contacts, there was no formal record of interpretation of any kind.
The report says: “Interpreting was documented as being provided by a family member or friend for 56 contacts. In some situations, the assessors felt this was inappropriate.”
It concludes: “To improve maternity and neonatal outcomes for recently arrived migrant women who do not speak English, it is crucial to enhance the availability of professional interpreting services and targeted advocacy.”
Robert Wilson, Head of the Sands and Tommy's Joint Policy Unit, said:
“The confidential enquiry published today highlights clear issues about the lack of provision and use of interpreting services.
“This is a recurring issue - numerous reports have highlighted instances of avoidable harm in maternity services that are associated with language barriers. NICE guidance states that women should be provided with an interpreter who can communicate in her preferred language, but in 50% of the contacts reviewed by MBRRACE there was no documented interpreter provision.
"The Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit has recently published a briefing on the topic, setting out where action is needed to make progress. Through the Maternity Consortium we are actively working to gain further insight from service users and healthcare professionals into the quality and use of interpreting services. Ensuring consistent provision of these services is vital to help ensure everyone has access to the care they need and to save more babies’ lives.”
The MBRRACE-UK report says other factors must also be addressed to improve outcomes for pregnant women newly arrived in the UK who do not speak English as their first language.
“Language barriers play a part, but this may be compounded by social factors...including living in difficult or temporary accommodation, their partner living in another country, financial difficulties, lack of support services or simply not being provided with useable information regarding how to navigate a healthcare service that sometimes lacks flexibility.”
