Yesterday, NHS England published its new Sepsis Modern Service Framework, setting out how it intends to improve the prevention, identification and management of sepsis and serious infections over the next decade.
For families affected by group B Strep, and for the professionals working to prevent these infections, we are particularly pleased that the framework includes a specific commitment to:
“build on the outcomes of the GBS3 study and other research to improve prevention of group B streptococcal infection”.
The framework also recognises newborn babies and pregnant or recently pregnant women as groups at higher risk of severe infection and sepsis. It sets out ambitions to improve prevention, awareness, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care, including through better data and national audit to support improvement across the NHS.
Jane Plumb, Chief Executive of Group B Strep Support, said:
“For years, families, clinicians and researchers have worked hard to improve the prevention of group B Strep infection in babies. It is very welcome to see NHS England explicitly commit to building on the GBS3 study and other research in this area.
“Every baby who develops life-threatening group B Strep infection is one too many. We hope this commitment will help drive the action needed so that fewer babies become seriously ill, fewer families experience heartbreak and more babies get the healthiest possible start in life.”
We welcome the publication of the framework and look forward to working with NHS England and others to help turn these ambitions into real improvements in information, prevention and care for babies and families.
Read the full framework on the NHS England website: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/sepsis-modern-service-framework/
