Claire Stringer, Geoffrey Amoateng and Ntsoaki Mary Mosoeunyane Buckinghamshire New University Responding to unequal health outcomes, ranging from significantly higher perinatal mortality rates for black women to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on minoritised ethnic groups, as well as to unequal staff and student experiences epitomised in pay and award gaps, BNU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery has embarked on a process of decolonising its curricula. This includes the adoption of a decolonisation statement and pledge, something which is becoming increasingly common across HE as institutions seek to address the legacy of colonial cultural practices woven within existing systems. In the session, representatives from the teams will discuss specific initiatives in their respective areas, with the intention of sharing their learning with other practitioners. Recognising that the identification of morbidity and clinical deterioration is often based on changes in skin colour and that much of this knowledge is derived from the care of women with light skin tones, which can contribute to unequal health outcomes, the Midwifery team designed a curriculum to ensure Midwifery students are educated to assess skin changes in all skin tones with confidence using clinical judgement. The new Midwifery curriculum also includes assessments specifically focused on holistic care identifying cultural needs and adaptations; employing guest lecturers who identify as global majority ethnicity; and a pedagogy that is not Eurocentric and goes beyond traditional Western epistemologies. The Nursing team’s decolonial initiatives were given impetus in 2020 by the pandemic and the global Black Lives Matter activism in response to the murder of George Floyd, which focussed attention on the lived experiences of racism and the need to create transformative change. The team will present a critical overview of their multifaceted interventions to reduce award gaps, which include redesigning module assessment strategies and fostering an inclusive culture and sense of belonging for staff and students. This presentation was delivered at Reimagining Higher Education: journeys of decolonising at De Montfort University, Leicester, on Wednesday 8th November 2023.

1. INSPIRED.
EMPOWERED.
EMPLOYED.
Claire Stringer (Lecturer: BSc Midwifery, Deputy Programme Lead BSc Midwifery, MA Ed scholar)
Mary Mosoeunyane (Senior Lecturer Biosciences, Programme Lead: MSc Nursing, BAME Student/Staff Champion
Lead, PhD scholar UCL)
Dr Geoffrey Amoateng (Senior Lecturer Mental Health Nursing, Programme Lead: BSc Nursing)
November 2023
Decolonising Nursing and Midwifery at BNU:
The Journey so Far

2. Who are we?
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Nursing and Midwifery Lecturers
Race Equality Network
Buckinghamshire New University

3. 94% of Midwifery curriculums
nationwide are based on a
euro-centric model
(Royal College of Midwives, 2022)
Staff cultural safety
training​
Black women are 4x more likely
to die in childbirth
Asian women are 2x more likely
to die in childbirth
(Knight et al., 2023)
Black and Asian newborns are
twice as likely to die
(Draper et al., 2023)
42% of Black, Asian and
minority ethnic students did
not feel that the curriculum
reflected issues of diversity
and equality
(Universities UK and National Union
of Students, 2019)
Covid-19: Black, Asian and
minority ethnic populations are
about 10-50% higher for risk of
death compared to their white
counterparts in all variables
(Aldridge et al., 2020; PHE, 2020)
Why is this important?
White faculty dominate and
occupy most decision-
making positions in nurse
education .This structural
practices normalizes racial
hierarchy & deepens race
ignorance
(Bell, 2021)
Global ethnic majority
students are less likely to be
awarded a higher degree
classification than their white
counterparts.
(Universities UK and National Union
of Students, 2019)
Discriminatory practices
persist in the NHS despite
initiatives of
antiracism strategies
(Alexis & Vydelingum, 2014)

4. Staff cultural safety
training​
Began with tough mindful
conversations, negotiations and
influence from REN leadership
(decolonising stream)
initiatives in collaborative efforts
(management/EDI,REC): holding
workshops/events.
Where did we begin?
Creation of a statement
outlining the commitment to
Decolonising the curriculum
Decolonising is not about us. It is
about how we can ensure a
system where all those who
engage with BNU as students or
staff can do so under conditions
of dignity, respect and security.
Decolonisation is not a project
over which one group can
claim sole custodianship.

6. What was our plan?
Increase the understanding of
educators about the subject of
decolonising education
Promote equitable assessment
strategies for students from all ethnic
and cultural backgrounds
Educate students about the
differences in health assessments,
conditions, experiences and
outcomes to erase misconceptions
about race
Strengthen support in clinical
practice for global majority students.
Ensure recruitment strategies
provide equitable opportunity for
students from all ethnic and cultural
backgrounds
(Royal College of Midwives, 2023)
Raise awareness of racial prejudices,
discrimination and all forms of racism
with the aim of promoting greater
equality, diversity and inclusion
through review of curriculum (C23)
linking to professional body
requirements

7. What images are you using?
What academic materials are
you referencing?
Are the examples and case
studies used, representative
of all cultures?
Does your teaching team
reflect the demographic of
your students?
Teaching- How Eurocentric are you?
What is the dynamic of the
classroom like?

8. Are assessment types diverse?
What support are you providing?
Remember: equality is different to equity
Creation of targeted support plan for
academic writing
Assignments
Do you assess culturally diverse view
points?

9. Increased personal tutor support
Staff training on cultural safety
National steering groups
Buddy system and support networks
Racism, unconscious bias and
privilege lectures
Utilising associate lecturers and
guest speakers
Class charter- minoritised
students to have a voice
Be aware of religious holidays and
celebrations when planning
assessments
What else did we do?
Reflection and critical friends

10. Where to next?
Evaluate university
experience
Research: Global ethnic majority midwifery students
experience of a decolonised curriculum: An
interpretative phenomenological analysis.
E-Learning module
Evaluate NHS environments
Give students a voice in
curriculum design
Research: Exploring underlayers of Inequalities:
decolonising the NHS

11. Reflective
Questions
Do you allow meaningful discussions
about race and racism? Do you find it
uncomfortable?
Does any of your teaching
content dismiss cultural
identity?
Is decolonising the curriculum
just a tick box exercise to serve
an agenda?
Have you had training on
unconscious bias and systemic
racism as an educator? How have
you been challenged? What have
you changed?
Are all students able to
contribute equally in the
classroom?
Have you reflected on
your own background
and privilege?

12. BucksNewUni @BucksNewUni BucksNewUni BucksNewUni BucksNewUniversity
“The journey of decolonisation can seem daunting. We all worry about making
mistakes and are uncertain about where to start. A recent study found that the
biggest barrier to taking action is the lack of a starting point, with colleagues
expressing fear of ‘getting it wrong’ or ‘not knowing enough to act’.”
(Wilson, Broughan and Daly, 2022)

13. BucksNewUni @BucksNewUni BucksNewUni BucksNewUni BucksNewUniversity
Wilson, C., Broughan, C., & Daly, G., 2022. Case Study: Decolonizing the
Curriculum – An Exemplification. Social Policy and Society, 21(1), 142-150).
Draper ES, Gallimore ID, Smith LK, Matthews RJ, Fenton AC, Kurinczuk JJ, Smith PW,
Manktelow BN. (eds.) (2023) MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance, UK Perinatal
Deaths for Births from January to December 2021. Department of Population Health Sciences,
University of Leicester. Available at: https://timms.le.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk-perinatal-
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(Accessed 18.10.2023)
Knight, M. Bunch, K. Felker, A. Patel, R. Kotnis, R. Kenyon, S. Kurinczuk, J (Eds.).
(2023). Saving lives, improving mothers’ care: Lessons learned to inform maternity care from
the UK and Ireland confidential enquiries into maternal deaths and morbidity 2019-
21. MBRRACE-UK. Available at: https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/assets/downloads/mbrrace-
uk/reports/maternal-report-2023/MBRRACE-UK_Maternal_Compiled_Report_2023.pdf
(Accessed 18.10.2023)
Birthrights (2022) Systemic racism, not broken bodies. Available at Birthrights-inquiry-systemic-
racism_exec-summary_May-22-web.pdf (Accessed 10.10.22)
Anderson, E., & McCormack, M. (2010). Intersectionality, critical race theory, and American
sporting oppression: Examining black and gay male athletes. Journal of Homosexuality, 57,
949–967
Royal College of Midwives (2023) Decolonising midwifery education toolkit.
Available at: https://www.rcm.org.uk/promoting/education-hub/decolonising-
midwifery/ (Accessed 22.4.2023)
Royal College of Midwives. (2022) Decolonising midwifery education.
Available at: https://www.rcm.org.uk/influencing/activists/decolonising-
midwifery-education/ (Accessed 6.3.2023)
Universities UK. National Union of Students. (2019) Black, Asian and minority
ethnic student attainment at UK Universities: #closing the gap. Available at:
https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/sites/default/files/field/downloads/2021-
07/bame-student-attainment.pdf (Accessed 12.3.2023)
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Covid-19 on BAME groups. Online:
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uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/892376/
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