PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS (GBS) (5 July 2005)

That this House notes that Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies in the UK and that, without preventative action, 1 in 1,000 newborn babies will develop GBS infection, of whom approximately 75 will die and 40 will survive with long-term problems; congratulates Group B Strep Support, the UK's only charity focussed on GBS infection in newborn babies, on organising the UK's first Awareness Week from 26th September to 2nd October to increase knowledge of how most GBS infections in babies can be prevented; recognises that effective local implementation of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' November 2003 Guideline No. 36 (prevention of early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal disease) will prevent most GBS infection in newborn babies and implores the Government to facilitate full implementation; expresses its concern that reliable testing for GBS carriage in pregnancy, recognised by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' guideline as optimal, is still unavailable on the NHS; urges the Department of Health to ensure it is available urgently; and further notes that the recent article by the Medical Screening Society Working Group on GBS disease, comprising independent international and UK experts, supports both the efficacy of screening and the need for a vaccine.

Sponsored by:
Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative)