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| UKBA's dispersal policy 'puts pregnant asylum seekers at risk' says report | UKBA's dispersal policy 'puts pregnant asylum seekers at risk' says report |
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| The health of hundreds of pregnant women and their babies are being put at risk by the UK Border Agency's policy of dispersing asylum seekers, according to midwives involved in their care. | The health of hundreds of pregnant women and their babies are being put at risk by the UK Border Agency's policy of dispersing asylum seekers, according to midwives involved in their care. |
| A report published on Monday by the Maternity Action and the Refugee Council says that the immigration authorities are endangering the health of pregnant asylum seeking women and their babies by moving them to accommodation around the country and so removing them from essential healthcare and leaving them isolated. | A report published on Monday by the Maternity Action and the Refugee Council says that the immigration authorities are endangering the health of pregnant asylum seeking women and their babies by moving them to accommodation around the country and so removing them from essential healthcare and leaving them isolated. |
| The study, based on interviews with the directly affected women and midwives involved in their care cites cases where pregnant women have been moved against medical advice and close to their due date. | The study, based on interviews with the directly affected women and midwives involved in their care cites cases where pregnant women have been moved against medical advice and close to their due date. |
| It also outlines cases of women who have been separated from the father of their child and left to give birth alone in a new area with no access to interpreters and others who have been moved several times during their pregnancies. The report also says that midwives are not always informed when their patients were moved and spent time searching for them. Scans and tests also had to be repeated in the new areas. | It also outlines cases of women who have been separated from the father of their child and left to give birth alone in a new area with no access to interpreters and others who have been moved several times during their pregnancies. The report also says that midwives are not always informed when their patients were moved and spent time searching for them. Scans and tests also had to be repeated in the new areas. |
| UKBA introduced guidance on pregnancy and dispersal last year in response to concerns about the impact of dispersal on pregnant women asylum seekers. For the first time a time limit was specified for dispersal during pregnancy and it was no longer expected that women could be moved up to two weeks before giving birth. | UKBA introduced guidance on pregnancy and dispersal last year in response to concerns about the impact of dispersal on pregnant women asylum seekers. For the first time a time limit was specified for dispersal during pregnancy and it was no longer expected that women could be moved up to two weeks before giving birth. |
| But the Maternity Action/Refugee Council report, When Maternity Doesn't Matter, indicates that there are still significant problems with the policy. | But the Maternity Action/Refugee Council report, When Maternity Doesn't Matter, indicates that there are still significant problems with the policy. |
| UKBA does not keep a separate record of the numbers of pregnant asylum seekers who are dispersed but a Freedom of Information request has disclosed that there were 611 maternity payments made to women supported by UKBA during the first six months of 2011. | UKBA does not keep a separate record of the numbers of pregnant asylum seekers who are dispersed but a Freedom of Information request has disclosed that there were 611 maternity payments made to women supported by UKBA during the first six months of 2011. |
| It has been the policy to disperse people granted asylum support to locations outside London since 1999. They generally include destitute asylum seekers awaiting a decision on their claim or those who have been refused asylum but qualify for financial support. | It has been the policy to disperse people granted asylum support to locations outside London since 1999. They generally include destitute asylum seekers awaiting a decision on their claim or those who have been refused asylum but qualify for financial support. |
| The report says that some asylum seeking women in Britain can have high risk pregnancies due to serious physical health conditions having fled torture, sexual violence, or even female genital mutilation in their own countries. | The report says that some asylum seeking women in Britain can have high risk pregnancies due to serious physical health conditions having fled torture, sexual violence, or even female genital mutilation in their own countries. |
| It says that the UKBA should reconsider its policy of dispersing pregnant women and introduce guidelines which ensure a full risk assessment is undertaken if dispersal is unavoidable. | It says that the UKBA should reconsider its policy of dispersing pregnant women and introduce guidelines which ensure a full risk assessment is undertaken if dispersal is unavoidable. |
| Sarah Teather, the former Liberal Democrat children's minister, who is part of an all-party group launching the report, said no pregnant woman should have their health put at risk because of their immigration status: "The government surely agrees that the health of pregnant women and newborn babies is a priority. Many of these recommendations could be easily implemented within the current asylum system to ensure that maternity really does matter for every woman." | Sarah Teather, the former Liberal Democrat children's minister, who is part of an all-party group launching the report, said no pregnant woman should have their health put at risk because of their immigration status: "The government surely agrees that the health of pregnant women and newborn babies is a priority. Many of these recommendations could be easily implemented within the current asylum system to ensure that maternity really does matter for every woman." |
| Cathy Warwick of the Royal College of Midwives also said it was shocking that in a country which, arguably, has one of the best maternity services in the world more was not being done to prevent such vulnerable women being denied high quality care. | Cathy Warwick of the Royal College of Midwives also said it was shocking that in a country which, arguably, has one of the best maternity services in the world more was not being done to prevent such vulnerable women being denied high quality care. |
| "If these women or their babies are not to suffer serious consequences we must offer them the chance of continuity of care throughout pregnancy and childbirth from a team who understands their needs. Our society is failing these women and their babies. This is not acceptable particularly when the solutions are so obvious," she said. | "If these women or their babies are not to suffer serious consequences we must offer them the chance of continuity of care throughout pregnancy and childbirth from a team who understands their needs. Our society is failing these women and their babies. This is not acceptable particularly when the solutions are so obvious," she said. |
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