Racist Staff

During my stay at Birmingham Womens Hospital I noticed how the midwife assigned to my ward showed preferential treatment to the white patients on the ward. I was treated very differently compared to them and the midwives were trying to encourage me to go home despite showing signs that I was in labour. Due to the lack of care I nearly gave birth in the hospital bath tub I was refused entry to the birthing center despite the fact that this was part of my birth plan and I was rushed to the delivery suite only 14 minutes before my baby was born. I gave birth alone without my birthing partner without pain killers for a large majority of my labour I was told to go into a bath tub and 'flick water' on myself to alleviate the pain despite stating that I wanted to use gas and air and pethidine in my birth plan. I gave birth alone not because of the pandemic but because of the racist attitude of the initial midwife that I had at my ward. She evidently shared her views with the midwife who took over and as a result my signs of labour were ignored. No woman should experience what I experienced and the statistics that Black and Asian Women are more likely to lose their babies or even die during child birth is not surprising. I have read other reviews about this hospital and a lot of positive reviews come from white patients whereas ethnic minority patients report that they are ignored, symptoms are trivalised they are spoken to in a rude manner and health concerns are neglected some have lost their healthy babies as a result. This needs to addressed by the hospital promptly as women are not getting the service that they deserve. All women regardless of their skin colour deserve to be treated with respect and dignity during their pregnancy not just during labour but during all contact they have with staff at this hospital.