Ethnic disparities in Maternity complaints: Analysing patient engagement with PALS across England

Do women from ethnic minorities face barriers in complaining about their Maternity care?

Background

Improving safety, equity, and experience of care in maternity services remains a core priority across the NHS. Persistent ethnic disparities in maternal outcomes have been widely reported, with women from Black and Asian backgrounds facing higher risks of morbidity and mortality. However, less attention has been given to how these women engage with formal mechanisms for raising concerns or complaints about their care.

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is a key route through which NHS users can seek support or raise concerns. Yet, there is currently only limited empirical data on whether women from ethnic minority backgrounds are equally represented in maternity-related PALS activity.