https://gbss.org.uk/latest-news/health-minister-announces-group-b-strep-is-her-top-priority/
Health Minister Nadine Dorries has announced group B Strep prevention as top of her 5 key priorities on taking office. This is one of the most exciting things I've read over the past 4 years since loosing our precious Faith on 23rd October 2015.
The UK’s rate of group B Strep infection in infants is double that of other developed countries, and we urgently need better prevention in the UK as our figures are increasing rather than declining.
I would say some major steps have been made since loosing Faith to bring more awareness and prevention of GBS.
In December 2017 a new patient information leaflet was jointly written by experts at The Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Group B Strep Support, and is based on the RCOG’s Green-top Guideline which is to be given to all pregnant women at an antenatal appointment. This is major as GBS was never even mentioned to me during any of my pregnancies let alone information provided on how and where I could be tested to see if I was a carrier.
In January 2019 GBSS announced new funding towards developing a group B Strep vaccine. "A safe and effective vaccine is the ‘holy grail’ of preventing group B Strep infection and could protect more than any other prevention strategy. It is urgently needed and I’m delighted that the research into MinervaX’s vaccine candidate will continue.”
In May 2019 is was announced that a major clinical trial had been funded by the National Institute for Health Research which is looking at whether we can improve the prevention of early-onset group B Strep infections in babies. The trial will compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the UK’s current approach (identifying pregnant women with ‘risk factors’ for their baby developing the infection) with testing women for group B Strep carriage, either at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy or in labour. The £2.8m trial will involve 80 hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland and the results will inform future policy in the UK. I am absolutely confident the figures will speak for themselves.
This latest announcement from the health minister brings hope since Nadine has long supported GBSS charity’s work. GBSS has worked tirelessly since 1996 providing help and support to families, especially parents, suffering from the devastating consequences of GBS infection. I can only hope that another 23 years don't pass before routine testing, or better still, a vaccine is offered to all pregnant women.
Thank you for continuing to support us.
Kim