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Written question asked by Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative) on Wednesday, 26 June 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 1 July 2019 (named day). It was answered by Seema Kennedy (Conservative) on Monday, 1 July 2019 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Streptococcus: Health Education

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government will recognise July as International Group B Strep Awareness Month; and what progress has been made on improving (a) prevention and (b) awareness of group B streptococcus .

Answer

The Department continues to support awareness of Group B streptococcus, alongside the wider international community.

Group B streptococcus is the leading cause of bacterial infection in newborn babies. The Government has recognised there are gaps in the evidence relating to this issue and the National Institute for Health Research has commissioned a trial to compare the clinical and cost effectiveness of universal screening compared with usual risk-based care, which will help to understand more about the potential benefits and harms of this approach.

This is a large-scale and ambitious trial, the results of which will be of interest to the United Kingdom National Screening Committee and will form one piece of the developing evidence picture to inform its future recommendations for screening for Group B streptococcus.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
269598
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Health education Streptococcus
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk