Our 2025 Group B Strep in Pregnancy & Babies virtual conference was a must-see 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.
Location: Online only (all sessions were recorded and available to watch on catch-up until 14 August 2025)
Who should register? The conference was designed for health professionals interested in group B Strep and working in maternity/neonatal care, including:
- Obstetricians
- Microbiologists
- Midwives
- Neonatologists
- Public Health Specialists
- GPs
- All Health Professionals
- Paediatricians
The conference was accredited for 6 hours of CPD by the Royal College of Pathologists.
Programme
The conference programme is available to download here.
A list of speakers is available here.
09:00 – 09:05 Welcome and Poll: Prof Philip Steer, Emeritus Professor, Imperial College London, Chair of GBSS Clinical Advisory Panel.
09:05 – 09:10 Introduction: Dr Ranee Thakar, RCOG President, Consultant Obstetrician and Urogynaecologist, Croydon University Hospital
09:10 – 09:20 Frankie’s Story: Lynsey White
09:20 – 09:40 Protecting Babies: The Challenge of Group B Strep, Jane Plumb MBE, Co-founder and Chief Executive of Group B Strep Support
09:40 – 09:55 Update on GBS disease trends in England, Dr Theresa Lamagni, Senior Epidemiologist, Healthcare-Associated Infection & Antimicrobial Resistance, UKHSA
09:55 – 10:10 Group B Strep guidelines in the UK – implementation vs recommendations, Oliver Plumb, Advocacy & Information Manager, Group B Strep Support
10:10 – 10:20 Abstract Presentation 1: The experiences of parents and caregivers of infants who develop late-onset Group B Strep infections, Dr Stephanie Lyons
10:20 – 10:30 Abstract Presentation 2: Early academic performance following neonatal, invasive Group B Streptococcus disease in Denmark, Malene Risager Lykke
10:30 – 10:50 Panel Discussion, chaired by Prof Philip Steer, with Jane Plumb MBE, Dr Theresa Lamagni, Oliver Plumb, Stephanie Lyons and Malene Risager Lykke.
10:50 – 11:10 BREAK
11:10 – 11:15 Introduction, Prof Philip Steer
11:15 – 11:35 How midwives can introduce and discuss group B Strep with families, Ali Stanley, Midwife and Professional Midwife advocate, Senior Lecturer.
11:35 – 11:50 GBS3 trial update, Prof Jane Daniels, Professor of Clinical Trials, University of Nottingham.
11:50 – 12:05 Experience of routine antenatal testing for GBS as part of of the GBS3 Trial, Heidi Hollands, Senior Clinical Research Midwife, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
12:05 – 12:20 Using an intrapartum test-based GBS prevention strategy, Carly Hayton, Research Midwife, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
12:20 – 12:30 Abstract Presentation 3: Pharmacokinetics of intrapartum benzylpenicillin: insights into candidate regimens to prevent EOGBS disease, Dr Kate Navaratnam
12:30 – 12:40 Abstract Presentation 4: Antimicrobial patterns in neonatal EOGBS disease: A report from the Emilia-Romagna Region, Valeria Capone
12:40 – 13:00 Panel Discussion, chaired by Prof Philip Steer, with Ali Stanley, Jane Daniels, Kate Navaratnam and Martina Buttera.
13:00 – 13:05 Morning Session Wrap-Up, Prof Philip Steer
13:05 – 13:35 LUNCH
13:35 – 13:40 Introduction: Jane Plumb, Chief Executive, Group B Strep Support.
13:40– 13:50 Mia’s story: Nicki Droy
13:50 – 14:05 GBS3 Midwife Experience PCR/Rapid, Ruth Ryder, Digital Support Midwife, Medway NHS Foundation Trust (Cepheid Sponsored Presentation)
14:05 – 14:20 GBS testing: a tale of the tortoise and the hare – is there a winner? Dr Jim Gray, Consultant Microbiologist, Birmingham Women’s & Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
14:20 – 14:35 Therapeutic dilemmas in optimal management of GBS, Mr Pat O’Brien, Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University College London Hospitals (UCLH).
14:35 – 14:45 Abstracts 5: Development of the next generation sequencing technology for the prevention of neonatal meningitis, Tanmay Kumar Das
14:45 – 14:55 Abstracts 6: Clinical Evaluation of the Xpert® Xpress GBS (Cepheid) Test Performed by Midwives as a Point-of-Care Test, University Hospital of Liège, Belgium, Cécile Meex
14:55 – 15:15 Panel Discussion, chaired by Jane Plumb, with Jim Gray, Pat O’Brien, Ruth Ryder, Tanmay Kumar Das and Cécile Meex
15:15 – 15:30 BREAK
15:30 – 15:35 Introduction, Jane Plumb
15:35 – 15:50 Group B Strep vaccines in the UK, when will we get them? Prof Kirsty Le Doare, Professor of Vaccinology and Immunology, St George’s University of London.
15:50 – 16:05 Pfizer’s GBS Vaccine, Iona Munjal, Vice President, Clinical Research & Development, Pfizer
16:05 – 16:15 Minervax’s GBS Vaccine, Dr Jeannett Dimsits, Vice President, Clinical Development, Minervax
16:15 – 16:25 Abstract Presentation 7: Neonatal GBS disease in the Netherlands, 1987-2024: epidemiology and vaccine coverage, Marleen Groenveld
16:25 – 16:35 Abstract Presentation 8: Immunological protection against invasive infant GBS disease: preliminary data from a UK case control study, Dr Natasha Thorn
16:35 – 16:55 Panel Discussion, chaired by Jane Plumb, with Prof Kirsty Le Doare, Iona Munjal, Dr Jeannett Dimsits and Marleen Groenveld
16:55 – 17:00 Summary, Poll and Close, Jane Plumb
Conference Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Financial support was provided as an Independent Medical Education Grant from Pfizer Inc. Pfizer has had no involvement in the content of the program
Academic Partner
If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities for our next annual virtual conference on 20 May 2026, please contact our Advocacy and Information Manager, Oliver Plumb at oliver.plumb@gbss.org.uk or call him on 0330 120 0798.
Conference Digital Toolkit
