ANTI RACISM HUB | Liverpool, UK
Social Mobility Project

This nomination recognises an outstanding initiative that has significantly improved healthcare access and outcomes for communities experiencing some of the greatest barriers to care. Through a combination of data-driven quality improvement, meaningful community partnership and a strong commitment to equity, the team has delivered measurable improvements in maternal vaccination uptake for asylum seekers, refugees and women who speak English as an additional language. The project focused on improving uptake of the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination during pregnancy. Pertussis can be life-threatening for newborn babies, yet vaccination uptake among vulnerable populations was significantly lower than the national average. Local data showed that only 34% of pregnant asylum seekers and women with English as an additional language were receiving the pertussis vaccination, compared with 66% nationally. This disparity represented a clear health inequality and an urgent patient safety concern. Rather than approaching the problem through traditional top-down health promotion, the team developed a community-led, co-produced approach. A Community Innovation Team was formed, bringing together healthcare professionals, researchers, public health practitioners and, critically, women with lived experience of pregnancy within the asylum system. These women, known as “Creative Influencers,” played a central role in identifying barriers to vaccination and designing solutions that would genuinely work for their communities. Through workshops, discussion groups and collaborative design sessions, the team identified key barriers including language differences, digital exclusion, difficulty navigating the NHS system, lack of culturally relevant information, and fear or mistrust related to immigration status. Practical challenges such as travel costs, childcare and limited understanding of maternity pathways were also highlighted. Using these insights, the team developed a set of targeted interventions designed to remove these barriers and empower women to access vaccination. These included a visual pregnancy journey poster, co-designed with women from migrant communities, which clearly explained maternity appointments, available support and when the pertussis vaccine should be given. The poster also reassured women about their rights to healthcare, confidentiality and access to interpretation services. Alongside this, the team produced a short educational film designed specifically for women and their partners. The film introduces pertussis vaccination in a culturally sensitive and accessible way and is now used in maternity clinics and GP practices. The project also introduced a communication brief for midwives, encouraging earlier discussions about vaccination and enabling appointments to be booked alongside the routine 20-week scan, reducing missed opportunities. The results of this work have been remarkable. Following implementation of the project, pertussis vaccination uptake increased by 184% by February 2026 among the target population. This represents a significant improvement in protection for newborn babies and demonstrates the impact that inclusive, community-driven healthcare interventions can achieve. Beyond vaccination uptake, the project has also improved patient experience and trust in healthcare services. Women reported feeling more confident attending appointments and better able to understand the maternity system. Clear messaging about confidentiality and entitlement to NHS care helped reduce fear and encourage earlier engagement with services. The initiative has also had a positive impact on healthcare staff and organisations. Midwives and primary care teams reported increased confidence discussing vaccination with women from diverse backgrounds and a greater understanding of the challenges faced by asylum seekers and migrant communities. The project strengthened collaboration between maternity services, primary care, public health, community organisations and academic partners, creating a sustainable model for addressing health inequalities. Importantly, the project was delivered despite limited resources. Through strong partnerships and innovative thinking, the team secured a four-year supply of pregnancy journey posters and long-term access to the educational film, ensuring the initiative can continue to benefit future patients without additional financial burden. What makes this project particularly deserving of recognition in the Social Mobility category is its focus on removing structural barriers to healthcare access. By listening directly to communities and co-designing solutions with those most affected, the team has created interventions that empower women to access care, protect their babies and navigate the healthcare system with greater confidence. This work demonstrates how healthcare organisations can address inequalities in a practical, measurable and sustainable way. Improving outcomes.