In December 2015 the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) commissioned an update review into antenatal screening for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) as per its published process. A public consultation is expected to be held in the autumn for a three month period. The UK NSC will then review the recommendation for GBS at the successive meeting. Specific dates will be announced in due course.

In December 2015 the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) commissioned an update review into antenatal screening for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) as per its published process. A public consultation is expected to be held in late 2016 for a three-month period; the UK NSC will then review the recommendation for GBS at the successive meeting.

The aims of the National Maternity Review were to develop proposals for the future shape of modern, high quality and sustainable maternity services across England. The key proposals aim to improve safety and experience of care for women and their families.

The Government has made clear that maternity care is a priority and on 13 November 2015 announced an ambition to reduce by 50% stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths and neonatal brain injuries by 2030. This includes harm and death caused by Group B Streptococcus.

Following the publication of the National Maternity Review we are working with NHS England to establish a governance structure for the maternity work programme which will include engagement with a broad range of charity partners.

In December 2015 the United Kingdom National Screening Committee commissioned a review into antenatal screening for Group B Streptococcus.

More information including how to contribute to the public consultation will be available using the following link:

http://legacy.screening.nhs.uk/screening-recommendations.php

UK microbiology laboratories that do not use Standards for Microbiological Investigations (SMIs) should be able to demonstrate at least equivalence in their testing methodologies to the relevant accreditation body. Public Health England is not an accrediting body in these circumstances therefore we do not hold information as to what tests are deemed to be equivalent to UK SMI B58.

UK SMIs are not mandatory and Public Health England does not have data as to how many laboratories, National Health Service or otherwise use UK SMI B58 or equivalent testing for detecting Group B Strep.

SMIs are intended as a general resource for practising professionals operating in the field of laboratory medicine and infection specialties in the United Kingdom.

SMIs help laboratories to meet accreditation requirements by promoting high quality practices which are auditable.

Routine testing of babies for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection is not recommended. Therefore, no cost benefit assessment has been made by the Department on providing GBS tests to newborn babies.

A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has identified 41 items of correspondence received since 1 January 2015 on GBS. This correspondence relates mainly to offering testing for GBS carriage in pregnancy.

If a woman has previously had a baby with GBS, her maternity team will either monitor the health of her newborn baby closely for at least 12 hours after birth, or treat them with antibiotics until blood tests confirm whether or not GBS is present. The Department’s policy is not to offer antenatal screening for GBS carriage. This is based on advice from the UK National Screening Committee the body responsible for advising Ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy, and their advice is because there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the benefits to be gained from screening would outweigh the harms.

Routine testing of babies for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection is not recommended. Therefore, no cost benefit assessment has been made by the Department on providing GBS tests to newborn babies.

A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has identified 41 items of correspondence received since 1 January 2015 on GBS. This correspondence relates mainly to offering testing for GBS carriage in pregnancy.

If a woman has previously had a baby with GBS, her maternity team will either monitor the health of her newborn baby closely for at least 12 hours after birth, or treat them with antibiotics until blood tests confirm whether or not GBS is present. The Department’s policy is not to offer antenatal screening for GBS carriage. This is based on advice from the UK National Screening Committee the body responsible for advising Ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy, and their advice is because there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the benefits to be gained from screening would outweigh the harms.

Routine testing of babies for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection is not recommended. Therefore, no cost benefit assessment has been made by the Department on providing GBS tests to newborn babies.

A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has identified 41 items of correspondence received since 1 January 2015 on GBS. This correspondence relates mainly to offering testing for GBS carriage in pregnancy.

If a woman has previously had a baby with GBS, her maternity team will either monitor the health of her newborn baby closely for at least 12 hours after birth, or treat them with antibiotics until blood tests confirm whether or not GBS is present. The Department’s policy is not to offer antenatal screening for GBS carriage. This is based on advice from the UK National Screening Committee the body responsible for advising Ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy, and their advice is because there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the benefits to be gained from screening would outweigh the harms.

Public Health England has advised the Department that the UK Standard for Microbiology Investigation (SMI) B58 Detection of Carriage of Group B Streptococci was published in June 2015 and is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/438182/B_58i3.pdf

SMIs are intended as a general resource for practising professionals operating in the field of laboratory medicine and infection specialties in the United Kingdom.

They represent neither minimum standards of practice nor the highest level of complex laboratory investigation possible, and are not mandatory. Laboratories can download and adapt the method into a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) based on local policies. SMIs help laboratories to meet accreditation requirements by promoting high quality practices which are auditable. UK microbiology laboratories that do not use SMIs should be able to demonstrate at least equivalence in their testing methodologies to the relevant accreditation body.

SMI B58 describes the examination of specimens to detect carriage of Group B streptococci (GBS). SMI B58 states that it does not seek to contradict clinical guidelines from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists or the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, or those of the UK National Screening Committee 2012 which did not recommend antenatal screening for GBS.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. An audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early- onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the United Kingdom have written protocols to prevent early onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/

In addition the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published a clinical guideline which addresses early-onset GBS and other neonatal infections, ‘Antibiotics for early-onset neonatal infection: Antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of early-onset neonatal infection’ (August 2012).The clinical guideline is available at:

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg149

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx. The RCOG has also developed public information on early onset GBS:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/group-b-streptococcus-gbs-infection-in-newborn-babies/

In June 2015, Public Health England (PHE) published the paper, ‘Enriched culture medium test for group B streptococcus infection: position paper’. The paper concluded that within current accepted clinical guidelines, there are no indications for testing women using enriched culture medium (ECM) methods. Therefore the ECM test has not been introduced into PHE laboratories. The position paper is available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/group-b-streptococcus-infection-enriched-culture-medium-test

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage

No representations have been made to Ministers, this parliamentary session, regarding meeting stakeholders to discuss Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx

Public Health England (PHE) established enhanced surveillance of infant GBS disease in April 2014, in partnership with St George’s Hospital, the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and national public health bodies across the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to assess disease incidence, associated mortality and frequency of established risk factors. Several candidate GBS vaccines are in development and PHE will continue to monitor these. The National Institute for Health Research has recently approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study is expected to begin this summer.

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. A UK audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early-onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the UK have written protocols to prevent early-onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/.

The Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are responsible for healthcare in Northern Ireland and Wales, therefore no further information on GBS prevention strategies in these countries is held centrally.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of antenatal screening for GBS carriage is due to begin in August 2015. The UK NSC will consider whether its review of the evidence should be undertaken as a systematic review to PRISMA standards or whether a rapid review should be carried out. The timescale for the review process will be available once the UK NSC has made a decision on whether a systematic or rapid review should take place. The review process will include a three month public consultation period which the charity, Group B Strep Support and other interested stakeholder groups and individuals will be able to input into. The UK NSC may take clinical advice from a range of specialists and experts as part of the review process. This may include advice from individuals and groups that were involved in the development of the current guidelines as well as those who were not. This is supported by a public consultation process, which ensures that the review and recommendations of the committee are open and transparent.

No representations have been made to Ministers, this parliamentary session, regarding meeting stakeholders to discuss Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx

Public Health England (PHE) established enhanced surveillance of infant GBS disease in April 2014, in partnership with St George’s Hospital, the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and national public health bodies across the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to assess disease incidence, associated mortality and frequency of established risk factors. Several candidate GBS vaccines are in development and PHE will continue to monitor these. The National Institute for Health Research has recently approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study is expected to begin this summer.

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. A UK audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early-onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the UK have written protocols to prevent early-onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/.

The Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are responsible for healthcare in Northern Ireland and Wales, therefore no further information on GBS prevention strategies in these countries is held centrally.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of antenatal screening for GBS carriage is due to begin in August 2015. The UK NSC will consider whether its review of the evidence should be undertaken as a systematic review to PRISMA standards or whether a rapid review should be carried out. The timescale for the review process will be available once the UK NSC has made a decision on whether a systematic or rapid review should take place. The review process will include a three month public consultation period which the charity, Group B Strep Support and other interested stakeholder groups and individuals will be able to input into. The UK NSC may take clinical advice from a range of specialists and experts as part of the review process. This may include advice from individuals and groups that were involved in the development of the current guidelines as well as those who were not. This is supported by a public consultation process, which ensures that the review and recommendations of the committee are open and transparent.

No representations have been made to Ministers, this parliamentary session, regarding meeting stakeholders to discuss Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx

Public Health England (PHE) established enhanced surveillance of infant GBS disease in April 2014, in partnership with St George’s Hospital, the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and national public health bodies across the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to assess disease incidence, associated mortality and frequency of established risk factors. Several candidate GBS vaccines are in development and PHE will continue to monitor these. The National Institute for Health Research has recently approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study is expected to begin this summer.

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. A UK audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early-onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the UK have written protocols to prevent early-onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/.

The Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are responsible for healthcare in Northern Ireland and Wales, therefore no further information on GBS prevention strategies in these countries is held centrally.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of antenatal screening for GBS carriage is due to begin in August 2015. The UK NSC will consider whether its review of the evidence should be undertaken as a systematic review to PRISMA standards or whether a rapid review should be carried out. The timescale for the review process will be available once the UK NSC has made a decision on whether a systematic or rapid review should take place. The review process will include a three month public consultation period which the charity, Group B Strep Support and other interested stakeholder groups and individuals will be able to input into. The UK NSC may take clinical advice from a range of specialists and experts as part of the review process. This may include advice from individuals and groups that were involved in the development of the current guidelines as well as those who were not. This is supported by a public consultation process, which ensures that the review and recommendations of the committee are open and transparent.

No representations have been made to Ministers, this parliamentary session, regarding meeting stakeholders to discuss Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx

Public Health England (PHE) established enhanced surveillance of infant GBS disease in April 2014, in partnership with St George’s Hospital, the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and national public health bodies across the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to assess disease incidence, associated mortality and frequency of established risk factors. Several candidate GBS vaccines are in development and PHE will continue to monitor these. The National Institute for Health Research has recently approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study is expected to begin this summer.

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. A UK audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early-onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the UK have written protocols to prevent early-onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/.

The Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are responsible for healthcare in Northern Ireland and Wales, therefore no further information on GBS prevention strategies in these countries is held centrally.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of antenatal screening for GBS carriage is due to begin in August 2015. The UK NSC will consider whether its review of the evidence should be undertaken as a systematic review to PRISMA standards or whether a rapid review should be carried out. The timescale for the review process will be available once the UK NSC has made a decision on whether a systematic or rapid review should take place. The review process will include a three month public consultation period which the charity, Group B Strep Support and other interested stakeholder groups and individuals will be able to input into. The UK NSC may take clinical advice from a range of specialists and experts as part of the review process. This may include advice from individuals and groups that were involved in the development of the current guidelines as well as those who were not. This is supported by a public consultation process, which ensures that the review and recommendations of the committee are open and transparent.

No representations have been made to Ministers, this parliamentary session, regarding meeting stakeholders to discuss Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx

Public Health England (PHE) established enhanced surveillance of infant GBS disease in April 2014, in partnership with St George’s Hospital, the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and national public health bodies across the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to assess disease incidence, associated mortality and frequency of established risk factors. Several candidate GBS vaccines are in development and PHE will continue to monitor these. The National Institute for Health Research has recently approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study is expected to begin this summer.

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. A UK audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early-onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the UK have written protocols to prevent early-onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/.

The Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are responsible for healthcare in Northern Ireland and Wales, therefore no further information on GBS prevention strategies in these countries is held centrally.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of antenatal screening for GBS carriage is due to begin in August 2015. The UK NSC will consider whether its review of the evidence should be undertaken as a systematic review to PRISMA standards or whether a rapid review should be carried out. The timescale for the review process will be available once the UK NSC has made a decision on whether a systematic or rapid review should take place. The review process will include a three month public consultation period which the charity, Group B Strep Support and other interested stakeholder groups and individuals will be able to input into. The UK NSC may take clinical advice from a range of specialists and experts as part of the review process. This may include advice from individuals and groups that were involved in the development of the current guidelines as well as those who were not. This is supported by a public consultation process, which ensures that the review and recommendations of the committee are open and transparent.

No representations have been made to Ministers, this parliamentary session, regarding meeting stakeholders to discuss Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx

Public Health England (PHE) established enhanced surveillance of infant GBS disease in April 2014, in partnership with St George’s Hospital, the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and national public health bodies across the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to assess disease incidence, associated mortality and frequency of established risk factors. Several candidate GBS vaccines are in development and PHE will continue to monitor these. The National Institute for Health Research has recently approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study is expected to begin this summer.

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. A UK audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early-onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the UK have written protocols to prevent early-onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/.

The Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are responsible for healthcare in Northern Ireland and Wales, therefore no further information on GBS prevention strategies in these countries is held centrally.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of antenatal screening for GBS carriage is due to begin in August 2015. The UK NSC will consider whether its review of the evidence should be undertaken as a systematic review to PRISMA standards or whether a rapid review should be carried out. The timescale for the review process will be available once the UK NSC has made a decision on whether a systematic or rapid review should take place. The review process will include a three month public consultation period which the charity, Group B Strep Support and other interested stakeholder groups and individuals will be able to input into. The UK NSC may take clinical advice from a range of specialists and experts as part of the review process. This may include advice from individuals and groups that were involved in the development of the current guidelines as well as those who were not. This is supported by a public consultation process, which ensures that the review and recommendations of the committee are open and transparent.

No representations have been made to Ministers, this parliamentary session, regarding meeting stakeholders to discuss Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx

Public Health England (PHE) established enhanced surveillance of infant GBS disease in April 2014, in partnership with St George’s Hospital, the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and national public health bodies across the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to assess disease incidence, associated mortality and frequency of established risk factors. Several candidate GBS vaccines are in development and PHE will continue to monitor these. The National Institute for Health Research has recently approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study is expected to begin this summer.

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. A UK audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early-onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the UK have written protocols to prevent early-onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/.

The Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are responsible for healthcare in Northern Ireland and Wales, therefore no further information on GBS prevention strategies in these countries is held centrally.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of antenatal screening for GBS carriage is due to begin in August 2015. The UK NSC will consider whether its review of the evidence should be undertaken as a systematic review to PRISMA standards or whether a rapid review should be carried out. The timescale for the review process will be available once the UK NSC has made a decision on whether a systematic or rapid review should take place. The review process will include a three month public consultation period which the charity, Group B Strep Support and other interested stakeholder groups and individuals will be able to input into. The UK NSC may take clinical advice from a range of specialists and experts as part of the review process. This may include advice from individuals and groups that were involved in the development of the current guidelines as well as those who were not. This is supported by a public consultation process, which ensures that the review and recommendations of the committee are open and transparent.

No representations have been made to Ministers, this parliamentary session, regarding meeting stakeholders to discuss Group B Streptococcus (GBS).

Information on GBS in pregnancy is publically available on the NHS Choices website at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pregnancy-infections.aspx

Public Health England (PHE) established enhanced surveillance of infant GBS disease in April 2014, in partnership with St George’s Hospital, the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and national public health bodies across the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to assess disease incidence, associated mortality and frequency of established risk factors. Several candidate GBS vaccines are in development and PHE will continue to monitor these. The National Institute for Health Research has recently approved funding for a study on accuracy of a rapid intrapartum test for maternal group B streptococcal colonisation and its potential to reduce antibiotic usage in mothers with risk factors (GBS2). The study is expected to begin this summer.

UK standards for microbiology investigations B58: Detection of carriage of Group B Streptococci, which was updated in June 2015, is publically available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smi-b-58-processing-swabs-for-group-b-streptococcal-carriage.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has produced a Green-top guideline: Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease. The Green-top guideline provides guidance for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. The first edition was published in 2003 and the second updated edition was published in 2012. A UK audit in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and supported by the Royal College of Midwives was recently carried out by the RCOG. It examined current practice in preventing early-onset neonatal GBS disease by investigating the implementation of the RCOG Green-top guideline (2012 edition) and identified key areas for improvement. The first report was published on 5 March 2015 and found that the majority of obstetric units in the UK have written protocols to prevent early-onset GBS disease in newborn babies. However, there is still variation in practice across units. The second report is due to be published later this year. Further information is available at:

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-release-new-audit-into-gbs-finds-variation-in-practice-across-obstetric-units/.

The Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government are responsible for healthcare in Northern Ireland and Wales, therefore no further information on GBS prevention strategies in these countries is held centrally.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of antenatal screening for GBS carriage is due to begin in August 2015. The UK NSC will consider whether its review of the evidence should be undertaken as a systematic review to PRISMA standards or whether a rapid review should be carried out. The timescale for the review process will be available once the UK NSC has made a decision on whether a systematic or rapid review should take place. The review process will include a three month public consultation period which the charity, Group B Strep Support and other interested stakeholder groups and individuals will be able to input into. The UK NSC may take clinical advice from a range of specialists and experts as part of the review process. This may include advice from individuals and groups that were involved in the development of the current guidelines as well as those who were not. This is supported by a public consultation process, which ensures that the review and recommendations of the committee are open and transparent.