Saturday 21 December 2024
Internal Reference Number: FOI_8266
Date Request Received: 07/11/2024 00:00:00
Date Request Replied To: 26/11/2024 00:00:00
This response was sent via: By Email
Request Summary: Group B Strep prevention guidelines in England
Request Category: Private Individuals
| Question Number 1: To assist with responding to this FOI request, we would expect questions 1-9 and 13-14 to need input from the Midwifery/Obstetrics & Gynaecology department, while questions 10-12 will likely need input from the Microbiology department. Please supply a copy of your guideline(s) relating to group B Strep during pregnancy, labour, and in newborn babies | |
| Answer To Question 1: Guideline attached. To accompany this answer to question 1 please also see the documents listed below:  Guideline Group B Strep.pdf | |
| Question Number 2: Please provide the date when your guidelines relating to group B Strep during pregnancy, labour, and in newborn babies were last updated | |
| Answer To Question 2: 26.07.24 | |
| Question Number 3: Please provide the date when your guidelines relating to group B Strep during pregnancy, labour, and in newborn babies are due to be updated | |
| Answer To Question 3: 27.09.2027 | |
| Question Number 4: Do you provide information materials about group B Strep to all pregnant women and people as a routine part of antenatal care? (Yes/No) | |
| Answer To Question 4: Yes | |
| Question Number 5: If you do not provide information materials about group B Strep to all pregnant women and people, do you provide them to any of the following groups during antenatal care? (Select all that apply) those who have previously had a baby who developed GBS infection those where GBS was detected before the current pregnancy (swab or urine) those where GBS was detected during the current pregnancy (swab or urine) those who are in preterm labour those with preterm rupture of membranes those with prolonged rupture of membranes those who request information | |
| Answer To Question 5: Women are asked at booking if they are known to have been a previous GBS carrier. Routine testing is not carried out (as per GBS Guideline). | |
| Question Number 6: Please supply copies of the information materials (physical and/or digital) which are given to pregnant women and people about GBS as a routine part of antenatal care | |
| Answer To Question 6: See attached. To accompany this answer to question 6 please also see the documents listed below:  FOI 8266 - Material for Question 6.docx | |
| Question Number 7: Do you offer testing specifically for maternal GBS carriage to any pregnant women or people in either late pregnancy or in labour? [By this we mean a test specifically intended to detect GBS carriage, rather than a general test for the presence of any microorganisms of interest] (Yes/No) | |
| Answer To Question 7: No - If this is incidentally detected whilst other tests are undertaken then treatment will be offered and IV Antibiotics offered in Labour - as per the GBS guideline. | |
| Question Number 8: If you offer testing specifically for maternal GBS carriage in late pregnancy or in labour, do you offer: (Select all that apply) Testing late in pregnancy Testing in labour | |
| Answer To Question 8: Please see answer to Question 7. | |
| Question Number 9: Do you offer GBS-specific testing for maternal GBS carriage to: (Select all that apply) All pregnant women and people Those who previously had a baby who developed GBS infection Those where GBS was detected in a previous pregnancy Those who request it Those in other circumstances (for example, for reasons such as PPROM or vaginal discharge) Other (please state) | |
| Answer To Question 9: Testing is offered to those where GBS was detected in a previous pregnancy. | |
| Question Number 10: If you undertake GBS-specific testing for maternal GBS carriage, which of the following specimen types do you collect (Select all that apply): Vaginal Swab alone Rectal Swab alone Both Vaginal and Rectal Swab(s) Other (please state) | |
| Answer To Question 10: GBS specific testing not done. GBS identified as part of routine testing undertaken. | |
| Question Number 11: If you undertake GBS-specific testing for maternal GBS carriage, which detection method is used by the Microbiology laboratory? (Select all that apply) Direct culture on non-selective, non-chromogenic media Direct culture on selective &/or indicator media Broth enrichment with subculture onto non-selective, non-chromogenic media Broth enrichment with subculture onto selective &/or chromogenic media PCR (for example, Cepheid GeneXpert) Other (Please state) | |
| Answer To Question 11: The Trust do not undertake GBS specific testing | |
| Question Number 12: Does your lab offer any of the following (Select all that apply): Enriched Culture Medium (ECM) as part of the routine lab test repertoire ECM offered, with samples referred to another lab PCR as part of the routine lab test repertoire PCR offered, with samples referred to another lab Other (please state) | |
| Answer To Question 12: None | |
| Question Number 13: Do you provide training on group B Strep in labour to (Select all that apply) Midwifery staff Obstetric staff Neonatal staff Laboratory staff Others (please state) | |
| Answer To Question 13: Yes, the Trust provide the training to all Midwives on our Maternity Update day - on a 3 yearly program as per the NHS England Core Competency Framework. | |
| Question Number 14: Do you use the Kaiser Permanente Neonatal Early-Onset Sepsis Calculator? (Yes/No) a. If yes to Q14, is there a prospective audit in place? (Yes/No) b. If yes to Q14, from what gestation do you use the calculator? Please specify weeks and days e.g. 34+0 | |
| Answer To Question 14: The Trust do not currently use the Kaiser Permanente Neonatal Early-Onset Sepsis Calculator. | |
| Question Number 15: Do you use digital platforms to analyse your Trust/Board’s rates of GBS infection [invasive neonatal or maternal infections - not non-invasive infections, or infections that are not neonatal/pregnancy-related] (Yes/No) | |
| Answer To Question 15: No. | |
| Question Number 16: If you use digital platforms to analyse your Trust/Board’s rates of GBS infection as defined in Q15, do you use this for: (Select all that apply) Early-onset GBS infection Late-onset GBS infection Maternal GBS infection Others (please state) | |
| Answer To Question 16: N/A | |
| Question Number 17: Has your Trust adopted the NHS Complaint Standards as set out by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman? | |
| Answer To Question 17: Yes | |
| Please see Attachments: | |
| To return to the list of all the FOI requests please click here | |
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