---

Streptococcus

Answer

The national guidelines for prevention of early onset neonatal group B streptococcus disease are developed to set the standards for high quality health care. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists published on 18 July 2012 the revised Green-Top guideline, originally published in November 2003, to take into account new evidence on the prevention of early-onset neonatal group B streptococcus (GBS) disease. In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a new guideline on antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of early-onset neonatal infection, including GBS on 22 August 2012.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four United Kingdom countries about all aspects of screening policy, including screening policy for GBS carriage in pregnancy. In 2008-09, the UK NSC recommended that a national screening programme to test for GBS carriage in pregnancy using the enriched culture medium test should not be offered. The UK NSC is currently reviewing the evidence for screening for GBS carriage in pregnancy against its criteria again.

The UK NSC held a public consultation on its screening review from 16 July 2012 to 23 October 2012. In total, 212 written responses were received. The UK NSC will consider all of the submissions made during the consultation at its 13 November 2012 meeting. All consultation replies will be available on the UK NSC’s website following the meeting apart from those where stakeholder organisations or individuals have requested that their response is not made public. The Department expects to receive a recommendation from the UK NSC shortly.

A meeting between the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Guildford (Anne Milton), and officials took place on 10 January 2012 to discuss screening for GBS carriage in pregnancy. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health also hosted a meeting to discuss the UK NSC’s antenatal screening for GBS carriage review on 24 January 2012. Attendees included the UK NSC, the charity Group B Strep Support and Members of Parliament.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

128274; 553 c406W

Session

2012-13

Subjects

Pregnancy Screening Streptococcus

Link

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