Pregnant women died after fears Tory crackdown on ‘health tourism’ would bankrupt them, report delayed until after election reveals

Pregnant women died after fears Tory crackdown on ‘health tourism’ would bankrupt them, report delayed until after election reveals Tory measures to stop “health tourism” on the NHS have been linked to the deaths of three pregnant women in a major report that was delayed until after the election.

The women all died after delays in seeking help because they mistakenly believed that they would have to pay for care under the government’s strict charging regime. They sought help in hospitals too late and died as a result of complications.

It is the first time researchers have identified the impact of the government’s controversial charging regime among maternity deaths, and they warned other mothers could be at risk. The Independent

See also:

• Lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2015–17 MBRRACE-UK