Group B Strep Support submitted evidence to Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS, highlighting the case for introducing routine group B Strep screening in pregnancy.
The review, led by Professor Ara Darzi, a world-renowned surgeon, is an immediate and independent investigation of the NHS. It focused on assessing patient access to healthcare, the quality of healthcare being provided and the overall performance of the health system.
Published on Thursday 12 September, the report found that the NHS requires significant reform to reduce the pressure on its services.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that one of the key areas of reform for the NHS will be focusing efforts on prevention over sickness, and we welcome this focus.
The NHS currently takes a risk–based approach to preventing group B Strep infection in newborn babies, offering preventative antibiotics in labour only to pregnant women and people if they have known risk factors.
Our submission outlined the case for routine test-based antenatal screening for group B Strep by demonstrating that it significantly reduces the risk of early-onset group B Strep (EOGBS) infection in newborns compared to the risk-based approach.
We highlighted the disparity in the global approach to screening; at present 95 countries offer antibiotics at the onset of labour to reduce the risk of early-onset group B Strep infection. Testing is usually used in high-income countries to decide who receives antibiotics, while middle and low-income countries are more likely to deploy risk-based prevention strategies. The majority of low-income countries have no policy and therefore there is a higher risk of babies developing EOGBS infection.
A comparison of UK vs USA displays the stark contrast in infection rates, and the positive impact of screening as opposed to a risk-based approach, which has clearly not worked in the UK, where the rates have gone up, not fallen.
Information included in the charity’s submission includes:
- Distribution of policies for maternal group B Streptococcus screening strategies
- EOGBS infection per 1000 live births: England vs USA
- Prevention strategy effect – results of a 2017 study showing what happens before, during and after introducing a test-based IAP strategy in a London NHS trust.
Group B Strep isn’t just a statistic; it’s the leading cause of severe infection in our newborns, and the lack of accessible testing is a preventable tragedy.
When we know that a pregnant woman or person is carrying group B Strep, steps can be taken that significantly reduce the risk of life-threatening infection developing in their newborn baby.
Ensuring that group B Strep testing is offered as a standard part of antenatal care will not only save lives, but also alleviate the emotional and financial burden on families and the NHS. It is imperative that the NHS takes a proactive approach to group B Strep.
Jane Plumb MBE, Group B Strep Support Chief Executive
