This project was funded by the UK NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Along with this funding, the NIHR contributed by peer-reviewing the funding proposal. We gratefully acknowledge valuable input from the members of our PAG. Their input has been very helpful in making possible the successful completion and the high quality of this review. The following people kindly consented to be members:Jim Thornton, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham (member of the NIHR Health Technology Assessment and Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Editorial Board)Caroline Mitchell, GP/Senior Clinical Lecturer, Clinical Academic Training Programme Lead, Academic Unit of Primary Medical Care, University of SheffieldJane Mischenko, Commissioning Lead, Children and Maternity Services, NHS LeedsCarol McCormack, Specialist Midwife, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
We also thank following immigrant women for their input in the conceptualisation of this review:Valentine Nkoyo, Director of Mojatu, NottinghamKinsi Clarke, Nottingham Refugee Forum, Nottingham.
Contributions of authors
Gina MA Higginbottom (Emeritus Professor, School of Health Sciences) was principal investigator. Initiated the project and oversaw all stages. She led the interpretation/synthesis phases and drafted all chapters of the report.
Catrin Evans (Associate Professor, Nursing, Director of the Centre for Evidence Based Health Care) contributed to all stages of the review, provided expert methodological advice, acted as second reviewer for quality appraisal and development of the synthesis. She contributed to the review of the final report.
Myfanwy Morgan (Professor Emerita King’s College, London) contributed to all stages of the review, provided expert methodological advice, acted as second reviewer for quality appraisal and development of the synthesis. She contributed to the review of the final report.
Kuldip K Bharj (Retired Director of Midwifery, University of Leeds) contributed to all stages of the review, provided clinical and policy perspectives, contributed to formulation of the implications and recommendation.
Jeanette Eldridge (Information Specialist) designed the literature search strategy, advised the team on all aspects of information retrieval and undertook the main database searches.
Basharat Hussain (Senior Research Fellow) contributed to all stages of the review and led the data extraction, coding, quality appraisal and drafting of preliminary chapters of the research report.
Karen Salt (Director of the Centre for Research into Race and Right, University of Nottingham) contributed to the review of the final report.
Publications
Higginbottom G, Evans C, Morgan M, Bharj K, Eldridge J, Hussain B. Interventions that improve maternity care for immigrant women in the UK: protocol for a narrative synthesis systematic review. BMJ Open 2017;7:e01698.
Higginbottom GMA, Evans C, Morgan M, Bharj KK, Eldridge J, Hussain B. Experience of and access to maternity care in the UK by immigrant women: a narrative synthesis systematic review. BMJ Open 2019;9:e029478.
Data-sharing statement
Most of the data used in this report came from published papers that are therefore already available to all, subject to the usual copyright and in some cases paywall restrictions. Any other queries should be addressed to the corresponding author for consideration.
Disclaimers
This report presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views and opinions expressed by authors in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NHS, the NIHR, NETSCC, the HS&DR programme or the Department of Health and Social Care. If there are verbatim quotations included in this publication the views and opinions expressed by the interviewees are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect those of the authors, those of the NHS, the NIHR, NETSCC, the HS&DR programme or the Department of Health and Social Care.