Last week brought news of a significant step forward that will lead to better prevention of group B Strep infection in newborns.
On 31 May, NHS England published their Core Competency Framework (CCF), version 2. The CCF sets minimum training standards for all health professionals working in maternity and neonatal care.
We were delighted to see that the CCF included ‘group B Strep in labour’ as one of the topics that must be covered in training – meaning all maternity and neonatal services will be expected to provide staff with training that addresses group B Strep.
We hope this England-wide requirement for training will improve staff awareness and education around group B Strep, and reduce the postcode lottery of information, care, and support families currently face.
“At Group B Strep Support, we have long advocated for the inclusion of group B Strep into healthcare professionals’ training. There are over 500 cases of early-onset group B Strep infection in babies each year in the UK. Improved training will help protect more babies from avoidable group B Strep infection, sparing families from unnecessary heartache that a GBS infection so often leaves in its wake.”
Jane Plumb MBE, Chief Executive at Group B Strep Support
“Since GBS is a matter of life and death, the inclusion of GBS training in these guidelines represents a real step forward in enhancing the care and health of expectant women and their babies. We want to see this training rolled out not only throughout England, but also to all of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so that it makes even more of a difference.”
Eddie Morris, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Group B Strep Support
Find out more about the Core Competency Framework and what else is covered in training here.
