Hello to you all

I know I haven’t written an update for quite a while, but that doesn’t mean nothing has been happening – in fact there has been a lot going on behind the scenes in our campaign to improve awareness of group B Strep and push for routine testing.  And it is very heartening to see that the number of signatories to the petition continues to grow and spread the life-saving awareness of group B Strep. So thank you very much for all your support.  

As you know, I’m a passionate supporter of the brilliant charity Group B Strep Support. I’ve recently read their important new report on group B Strep clinical negligence cases – The Cost of Group B Strep infection (https://gbss.org.uk/latest-news/the-cost-of-group-b-strep-infection/ It is an eye-opening if saddening read, and I’d recommend you take a look. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a lawyer to understand it!

The report draws together cases from the six law firms on GBSS’s Legal Panel to understand the financial impact and see what can be learned. The key finding is that clinical negligence relating to group B Strep is costing the NHS huge amounts of money. The report found that settled cases from just those six law firms had a combined value of £40 million!

£40 million is a staggering amount of money, and could pay for routine testing for ALL pregnant women in the UK for about FOUR YEARS. It is absolutely right that where clinical mistakes lead to babies dying and having life-changing disabilities as a result of group B Strep, the families should be supported. But if real investment in awareness and proper care of group B strep risks was in place, the need for such support would be greatly decreased – a much better situation for everyone concerned.  

I fervently hope the senior decision makers in the NHS pay close attention to this report, and invest far more in trying to reduce GBS infections, as this is the best way to reduce GBS clinical negligence cases, saving money and, more importantly, terrible harm to brand new little lives.

Please share this report on social media, and with others you think would be interested. The more who read it, the better.

Have a wonderful Christmas and I’ll be in touch again in the New Year.

Best wishes,

Fiona