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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the Green Top Guidelines, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (a) reach all parts of maternity care services and (b) will be used to inform each hospital's protocol for preventing group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies; what resources have been allocated to dissemination and education; and if he will make a statement. [156557] Dr. Ladyman: The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) published its clinical guidelines on the Prevention of Early Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease in November 2003. The RCOG clinical guidelines are recommendations for good practice and exist to help patients and their healthcare team make the right decisions about health care. The guidelines are developed by teams of healthcare professionals, patients and scientists who look at the best evidence about care for a particular condition. The Government supports the publication of the guidelines as they will inform local protocol and assist clinicians and patients in making decisions about the appropriate treatment for preventing group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies. Resources for dissemination and education are not provided centrally.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

418 c701-3W;418 c721-3W; 156557

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Babies Hospitals Disease control Maternity services Pregnancy Bacterial diseases Obstetrics Streptococcus

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk