Our 2023 Group B Strep in Pregnancy & Babies virtual conference was a must-attend event for anyone interested in group B Strep.
Group B Strep is the leading cause of severe infection in newborn babies in the UK. Our one-day virtual conference brought together leading experts to talk about group B Strep, prevention policies, testing options, antibiotic usage, and the progress towards a GBS vaccine.
Our conference Chairs were Dr Edward Morris (Regional Medical Director, East of England, Immediate Past President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Chair of Trustees for Group B Strep Support) & Professor Philip Steer (Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics at Imperial College. London. Past President of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the section of O&G of the Royal Society of Medicine. Chair of the Group B Strep Support Medical Advisory Panel.).
The conference was recorded, and the recordings will be available until 17 August 2023 to those who register before or after then event.
Who should register? Anyone with interest in group B Strep and maternity and neonatal care, including:
- Obstetricians
- Microbiologists
- Midwives
- Neonatologists
- Paediatricians
- Public Health Specialists
- GPs
- All Health Professionals
- Clinical Negligence Specialists
- Other interested people
The conference is accredited for 7 hours of CPD by the Royal College of Pathologists.
Programme
A full list of speakers is available here.
Download the digital conference programme
09:00 – 09:10
Welcome and Introduction: Dr Edward Morris, Regional Medical Director, East of England, Immediate Past President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Chair of Trustees for Group B Strep Support.
09:10 – 09:20
A family’s experience: Sarah Doolin & Craig Pollard
09:20 – 09:36
Current approaches to preventing group B Strep infection in babies, Jane Plumb MBE, Co-founder and Chief Executive of Group B Strep Support
09:36 – 09:56
Update on invasive group B Strep surveillance data, England, Dr Theresa Lamagni, Senior Epidemiologist, Healthcare-Associated Infection & Antimicrobial Resistance, UKHSA
09:56 – 10:20
Update on WHO Meningitis Roadmap and GBS, Dr Caroline Trotter, Honorary Epidemiologist at UKHSA & Director of the Cambridge-Africa Programme
10:20 – 10:45
Panel Discussion: Chaired by Dr Edward Morris, with Sarah Doolin & Craig Pollard , Jane Plumb MBE, Dr Theresa Lamagni, and Dr Caroline Trotter
10:45 – 11:00
BREAK
11:00 – 11:21
Current status of GBS vaccine development, Professor Paul Heath, Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, St George’s University of London & St George’s University Hospitals NHS Trust, London
11:21 – 11:32
Group B Strep and preterm labour, stillbirth, and miscarriage, Professor Philip Steer, Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics at Imperial College. London. Past President of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the section of O&G of the Royal Society of Medicine. Chair of the Group B Strep Support Medical Advisory Panel.
11:32 – 11:50
Late onset group B Strep infection, Dr Alberto Berardi, Head of Neonatal Intensive Care, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico
11:51- 11:59
Short communication: Population genetics of Group B Streptococcus from maternal carriage in an ethnically diverse community in London, Dorota Jamrozy, Principal Bioinformatician, Wellcome Sanger Institute
11:59 – 12:07
Short communication: Should the NHS Offer Universal Group B Streptococcus Screening to Pregnant Women? Mohid Malik, Medical Student, Imperial College London
12:07 – 12:32
Panel Discussion: Chaired by Dr Edward Morris, with Professor Paul Heath, Professor Philip Steer, Dr Alberto Berardi and Dorota Jamrozy
12:32 – 12:37
Close of Morning Session: Dr Edward Morris
12:37 – 13:25
LUNCH
13:25 – 13:30
Introduction to Afternoon Session, Professor Philip Steer, Emeritus Professor of obstetrics at Imperial College. London. Past President of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the section of O&G of the Royal Society of Medicine. Chair of the Group B Strep Support Medical Advisory Panel.
13:30 – 13:40
A family’s experience: Preya Vaja
13:40 – 13:51
The GBS3 trial: an update, Professor Jane Daniels, Professor of Clinical Trials, University of Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, Chief Investigator for the GBS3 trial, and Kerry Barker-Williams, GBS3 Lead Research Midwife, Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit
13:51 – 14:15
Tests in pregnancy and labour for GBS – old and new technology, Dr Jim Gray, Consultant Microbiologist, Birmingham Women’s & Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
14:15 – 14:40
GBS and what midwives need to know to answer parents’ questions, Dr Kathryn Gutteridge, Consultant Midwife, Psychotherapist, Past President of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) & Trustee of Group B Strep Support,
14:40 – 15:05
Panel Discussion: Chaired by Professor Philip Steer, with Preya Vaja, Professor Jane Daniels, Dr Jim Gray, Dr Kathryn Gutteridge and Kerry Barker-Williams
15:05 – 15:20
BREAK
15:20 – 15:29
Short Communication: Group B Streptococcus antibodies and placental antibody transfer ratios among persons presenting for childbirth 2019-2021, Dustin Flannery, Neonatologist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
15:29 – 15:37
Short Communication: Novel point-of-care biosensor for Group B Streptococcus testing, Emelie EC Alsheim, PhD Student, University of Bath
15:37 – 15:56
Clinical recognition and treatment of GBS infection in babies, Dr Alison Bedford Russell, Neonatal co-Clinical Director at the Liverpool Neonatal Partnership. Member of the Group B Strep Support Medical Advisory Panel.
15:56 – 16:13
Long term impact of GBS on babies and their families: findings from HIC and LMIC context, Dr Proma Paul, Research Fellow Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
16:13 – 16:40
Remaining challenges for GBS perinatal disease prevention, Dr Carol J Baker, Professor of pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas. 2019 Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal recipient. Known as “the Godmother of Group B Strep prevention.” Global Vaccine Engagement Adviser to Group B Strep Support.
16:40 – 17:09
Panel discussion: Chaired by Professor Philip Steer, with Dr Alison Bedford Russell, Dr Proma Paul, Dr Carol J Baker and Emelie Alsheim
17:09 – 17:15
Summary and close: Professor Philip Steer, Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics at Imperial College. London. Past President of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the section of O&G of the Royal Society of Medicine. Chair of the Group B Strep Support Medical Advisory Panel.
Buy your tickets
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Conference Sponsors
For more information on our Conference Sponsors, visit our Sponsor Wall.
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities for this conference, please contact our Advocacy and Information Manager, Oliver Plumb at oliver.plumb@gbss.org.uk or call him on 0330 120 0798.
