Professor Hora Soltani from Sheffield Hallam’s School of Health and Social Care will lead the partnership with South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub (SYDHH), City of Doncaster Council and Bournemouth University as part of an NIHR-supported consortia focused on maternity challenges.
Sheffield Hallam University is one of the nine UK universities which has been selected to make up the new NIHR Challenge Maternity Disparities Consortium. Each of them is collaborating with several other organisations including universities, local councils, NHS trusts, charities, industry and other health organisations.
The research carried out by the consortium will focus on inequalities before, during and after pregnancy. The consortium will also work on building capacity for further research to help improve services over time. It will help support professionals who plan and deliver services for women and babies across both health and social care.
The partnership led by Professor Soltani aims to reduce health inequalities for marginalised mothers and babies by establishing the Maternal and Infant Health Equity Research Centre (MIHERC).
The centre will focus initially on priority areas that have been identified by women from migrant, ethnic minority and deprived communities and will be expanded to other marginalised groups such as mothers with disability. These areas are perinatal mental health, communication barriers, healthy lifestyle and the transition to parenthood.
To tackle these inequalities, researchers will work with mothers and families, communities and charities to explore innovative solutions using emerging technologies such as intelligent digital solutions.
Building on strong community engagement and inclusive research, the partnership will work with charities such as Active Pregnancy Foundation and Maternal Mental Health Alliance.
Professor Hora Soltani, who will lead the project from Sheffield Hallam University, said: “Innovative approaches are desperately needed to address the widening gaps in deaths and health of mothers and babies in the UK. MIHERC is an ambitious North-South partners in collaboration with the wider consortium members, bringing together experts from across a range of disciplines, to make a difference in the life of the most disadvantaged communities in the UK.”
In their feedback, NIHR commended the plan to establish MIHERC based on multi-ethnic and interdisciplinary partnerships with communities and the third sector. They also praised the clear plan for the centre and its focus on capacity building and community engagement specifically in the field of digitalisation and data connectivity.
Professor Marian Knight, Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, said: “We are delighted by the level of engagement shown by researchers with this important research priority. I am confident we have an exceptional consortium to tackle the challenge of maternity inequalities; working in partnership with existing NIHR funded infrastructure and programmes. We look forward to working with the consortium and their collaborators across the UK to develop the final plans for their ground-breaking new research projects over the next few months.”
Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said: “Every woman should receive safe, personalised and compassionate maternity care, regardless of background.
“We are determined to tackle the stark and unacceptable inequalities in maternity services and are working with NHS England to urgently improve care. Government-funded research like this is crucial to driving positive change.
“This is part of our mission to build an NHS fit for the future by harnessing the full potential of our research and life sciences sector.”
