2012 The National Screening Committee rules against screening for group B Strep

The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) has again decided not to recommend antenatal screening for group B Strep, with no review for another 3-4 years. Their document for public consultation is available here, as are the comments made during the public consultation by more than 200 individuals, health professionals, MPs, charities and medical bodies. Over 90% of the comments they received were for screening – so far, the NSC has failed to respond to any of these comments.

Our Chief Executive, Jane Plumb MBE said, “The decision not to recommend routine screening for group B Strep is devastating. Every year, hundreds of newborn babies suffer illness, disability and even death due to group B Strep. This decision means more future babies will suffer needlessly from infections which could and should have been prevented – some of these precious babies will die, others will survive with life-long disabilities, most will thankfully recovery but for all of their families it will be a traumatic. I am at a loss to understand why the NSC has refused to see that the current situation in the UK is unacceptable and that the introduction of routine screening is the best way forward.”

We may have lost this battle, but we’ve not lost the war – but we’ll need your help.

Please write to your local MP and inform them of your disappointment over the decision and asking them to table parliamentary questions on the subject. Click here for information on how to get in touch with your MP.
 
Please also write to your local media (newspaper, radio, TV station) and tell them how you as a local campaigner on this issue are so disappointed in this decision (our press release at http://bit.ly/UAC4wK may help).