There is nothing to add at this time to the answer cited in the Hon. Member’s question. When there is new information available, the Hon. Member will be updated in the normal way.

I refer the Hon. Member to the information and guidance on Group A Streptococcus published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/group-a-streptococcus

To support public health action, UKHSA also publishes routine national surveillance of Group A Streptococcus, its invasive variant, scarlet fever and other clinically important streptococcal diseases. The first report for this winter season is expected in early autumn 2026.

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Slough on 24 October 2025 in response to Question 82361.

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Slough on 24 October 2025 in response to Question 82361.

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Slough on 24 October 2025 in response to Question 82361.

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Slough on 24 October 2025 in response to Question 82361.

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Slough on 24 October 2025 in response to Question 82361.

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Slough on 24 October 2025 in response to Question 82361.

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Slough on 24 October 2025 in response to Question 82361.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a key role in tackling group B streptococcus (GBS) and other neonatal infections. Through national surveillance systems, the agency monitors the trends, characteristics, and outcomes of GBS infection, to assess risk factors and support prevention. Other severe neonatal infections are also routinely monitored and reported, and in all cases, key data is shared with relevant stakeholder groups.

Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment of GBS. Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby. NHS maternity services provide information and advice to expectant parents on the signs and symptoms of infection in pregnancy and newborn babies, including about GBS, associated risk factors, and when to seek urgent medical attention for themselves or their baby.

NHS England works closely in this area with the Group B Strep Society and the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, including supporting their work to provide resources for health care practitioners. NHS England is also leading the national rollout of early warning systems across maternity services, designed to improve early detection and management of unwell babies, and support their long-term health and wellbeing.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a key role in tackling group B streptococcus (GBS) and other neonatal infections. Through national surveillance systems, the agency monitors the trends, characteristics, and outcomes of GBS infection, to assess risk factors and support prevention. Other severe neonatal infections are also routinely monitored and reported, and in all cases, key data is shared with relevant stakeholder groups.

Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment of GBS. Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby. NHS maternity services provide information and advice to expectant parents on the signs and symptoms of infection in pregnancy and newborn babies, including about GBS, associated risk factors, and when to seek urgent medical attention for themselves or their baby.

NHS England works closely in this area with the Group B Strep Society and the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, including supporting their work to provide resources for health care practitioners. NHS England is also leading the national rollout of early warning systems across maternity services, designed to improve early detection and management of unwell babies, and support their long-term health and wellbeing.

The UK National Screening Committee is in close contact with the GBS3 trial researchers and stands ready to commence a review of the evidence for antenatal screening for Group B Streptococcus as soon as the trial reports.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a key role in addressing group B streptococcus (GBS) infection both through routine service activities and innovative research.

The UKHSA does not believe that there is a rationale at present for GBS being added to the Health Protection Notification Regulations. There are no immediate and specific public health actions required to be taken in response to a case being diagnosed. Whilst periods of enhanced surveillance suggest routine surveillance may be underestimating numbers of infections, this has not been audited to identify the source and reason for discrepancies between different sources of reports during these periods. Given the largely automated nature of laboratory surveillance, making GBS notifiable would not necessarily address any deficits in reporting.

The list of notifiable disease is kept under review by the Department with the UKHSA involvement. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/health-protection-notification-regulations-2010-proposed-amendments/outcome/government-response-to-the-health-protection-notification-regulations-2010-proposed-amendments

On all aspects of population and targeted screening, Ministers are advised by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC).

The UK NSC last reviewed the evidence to screen for group B streptococcus (GBS) at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy in 2017 and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the benefits of screening would outweigh the harms.

This was because the test currently available cannot accurately distinguish between those mothers whose babies are at risk and those who are not.

This means that many women would unnecessarily be offered antibiotics during labour, with the balance of harms and benefits from this approach being unknown.

The National Institute for Health Research funded a large-scale clinical trial to compare universal screening for GBS against the usual risk factor-based strategy.

Recruitment to the trial ended in March 2024 and a report is expected in early 2026. The UK NSC Secretariat is in contact with the researchers. The UK NSC will review its recommendation considering the evidence from the trial, after the report is presented.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) does not recommend adding Group B Streptococcus as a notifiable disease. Existing national surveillance effectively captures Group B Streptococcus infections, monitors trends, and informs antibiotic prescribing policy. The UKHSA has assessed that mandatory notification for Group B Streptococcus would provide no additional public health benefit beyond this.

The United Kingdom uses the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ risk-based approach whereby those women identified as being at increased risk of having a baby affected by Group B streptococcus (GBS) are managed according to agreed clinical guidelines on the prevention of early on-set neonatal GBS infection.

To improve understanding, prevention, and treatment of GBS infection, the Department is supporting a trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. It aims to determine whether routine testing for GBS for all women, either in late pregnancy or on admission for labour with point of care testing, reduces early-onset neonatal sepsis compared to the current approach of risk-based screening.

The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) will review its recommendation considering the evidence from the trial, after the report is presented.

The UK NSC previously reviewed the evidence to screen for GBS at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy in 2017 and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the benefits of screening would outweigh the harms. This was because the test currently available cannot accurately distinguish between those mothers whose babies are at risk and those who are not. This means that many women would unnecessarily be offered antibiotics during labour, with the balance of harms and benefits from this approach being unknown.

Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of group B streptococcus (GBS). Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors such as a previous baby with GBS infection or fever during labour, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby.

To improve understanding, prevention, and treatment of GBS infection, the Department is supporting a trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. It aims to determine whether routine testing for GBS for all women, either in late pregnancy or on admission for labour with point of care testing, reduces early-onset neonatal sepsis compared to the current approach of risk-based screening. Findings from the trial will be submitted to the Department and reviewed by the UK National Screening Committee to inform future decisions on national screening policy.

Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of group B streptococcus (GBS). Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors such as a previous baby with GBS infection or fever during labour, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby.

People from certain ethnic groups may be predisposed to health conditions which may affect their maternity outcomes, and a study led by the UK Health Security Agency did conclude that the rate of GBS was higher in those of black or Asian ethnicity.

To improve understanding, prevention, and treatment of GBS infection, the Department is supporting a trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. It aims to determine whether routine testing for GBS for all women, either in late pregnancy or on admission for labour with point of care testing, reduces early-onset neonatal sepsis compared to the current approach of risk-based screening.

Findings from the trial will be submitted to the Department and reviewed by the UK National Screening Committee to inform future decisions on national screening policy.

The provision of group B streptococcal microbiological laboratory testing is under review with clinical stakeholders. At present, this service, with respect to enriched culture medium testing, in accordance with Public Health England’s guidance on Standards for Microbial Investigations B 58, is not offered within regional UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) microbiology laboratories. The Bacteria Reference Department in UKHSA Colindale had specific accreditation under the United Kingdom Accreditation Service for group B Streptococci testing, which provides confirmation of group B Streptococci status and typing, based on the identification of 10 polysaccharide antigens.