That this House notes that since the introduction of the Royal College of Obstetricians' and Gynaecologists' current risk factor-based strategy in 2003, the number of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has increased by almost a third, representing a 32 per cent increase over nine years; further notes that GBS now affects one in every 1,000 newborn babies, killing 75 and permanently disabling 40 more each year; recognises that GBS is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies in the UK and Ireland; welcomes the UK National Screening Committee's (NSC) public consultation and the fact that this is the first time in 12 years their review of GBS screening has been opened for comment from the public; conveys its continued disappointment at the lack of awareness surrounding this condition that one in four women carry; urges the Department of Health to introduce routine Enriched Culture Medium (ECM) screening at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy for all women in the UK; further recognises that although the ECM test is the HPA's gold standard of testing for GBS, it is currently only used in 1 per cent of NHS trusts and only available privately otherwise at a cost of £35; expresses its continued concern that the current direct plating method of testing available for GBS is only 50 per cent reliable and produces false negatives and, while direct plate testing is offered at booking in pregnancy, this is proven not to be the optimum time to test for GBS carriage; further notes that screening is routinely offered in the USA, France, Spain and Australia, who have seen a huge reduction in infection rates by 86, 71, 86 and 82 per cent respectively; and is alarmed at the NSC's extremely selective collection of statistics, which do not include figures relating to miscarriages, stillbirths or late onset of GBS and which includes only statistics for England and Wales.

That this House notes that since the introduction of the Royal College of Obstetricians' and Gynaecologists' current risk factor-based strategy in 2003, the number of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has increased by almost a third, representing...

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 Ireland, affecting one in 2000 babies born every year; congratulates Group B Strep Support, the UK's only charity focused on GBS infection in newborn babies, on its continued work to raise awareness of the infection, testing and prevention; recognises that a small but growing number of NHS trusts have introduced ECM testing which is twice as effective as traditional HVS testing; is concerned that prevalence of deaths relating to GBS has been steadily rising since 2003; urges the Department of Health to ensure ECM testing is available urgently; and further supports both the efficacy of screening and the need for a vaccine made available on the NHS.

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 Ireland, affecting one in 2000 babies born every year; congratulates Group B Strep Support, the UK's only charity focused on GBS infection in newborn babies, on...

That this House notes the 171 deaths and confirmed cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) and the four currently surviving victims of the disease in the UK, including four through blood transfusion compared with three in total in the US; congratulates and welcomes the work of Christine Lord, following the tragic death of her son Andy from vCJD at the age of 24, in establishing a website, www.justiceforandy.com, and producing a BBC South documentary Who Killed My Son; asks the BBC to screen the documentary nationwide; further asks the Government to commission further research to establish common factors, such as school catering and vaccines among vCJD victims in South Hampshire as well as elsewhere in the country including the cases of two young men from Eastleigh near Southampton who died of vCJD within weeks of each other, and who had both received polio vaccines from the same batch; further notes the Written Answer from the Minister of State for Health on 11 March 2008, giving a vCJD sub-clinical prevalence estimate of up to one in 1,400 of the population; and further asks that the Government completes its evaluation of screening for prions in blood supply and other possible measures to protect the blood supply, in light of the conclusions reported in the 15th annual report of the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit, that blood transfusion is the most effective transmission route for vCJD.

That this House notes the 171 deaths and confirmed cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) and the four currently surviving victims of the disease in the UK, including four through blood transfusion compared with three in total in the US; congratulates and welcomes the work of Christine Lord, following the...

That this House regrets that the best estimate the Government has provided for the cost to the NHS of treating and preventing healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) is based on data that is 14 years old; notes that recent reductions in superbug infection rates are modest drops from record high levels; understands that the NHS is considering providing infection-control packs to only those patients who already have MRSA; regrets that such measures are designed to deal with infection rather than prevent it; further notes that it costs up to ??10,000 more to treat each patient that contracts an HCAI, which affect an estimated one in 10 patients, and that in consequence the NHS spends up to ??1,000 per in-patient on treating HCAIs irrespective of whether the in-patient contracts an infection; believes that, in order to prevent HCAIs, it is essential that the NHS provides a comprehensive range of proven personal antimicrobial products and a guide to infection control to every NHS in-patient; calls upon the Government to, at the very least, undertake widespread trials of such an initiative, report the findings to the House and extend the initiative throughout the NHS if the trial is successful; and recognises that this preventative scheme, if implemented, would cost a small fraction of the amount spent on HCAI treatment.

That this House regrets that the best estimate the Government has provided for the cost to the NHS of treating and preventing healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) is based on data that is 14 years old; notes that recent reductions in superbug infection rates are modest drops from record high levels;...

That this House notes the 167 confirmed cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) in the UK, including three through blood transfusion, compared with three in total in the USA; congratulates and welcomes the work of Christine Lord, following the tragic death of her son Andy from vCJD at the age of 24, in establishing a website, www.justiceforandy.com, and producing a BBC South documentary Who Killed My Son which can be watched on www.justiceforandy.com; asks the BBC to screen the documentary nationwide; notes the death from vCJD of another six young people living within 25 miles of Portsmouth; further asks the Government to commission further research to establish common factors, such as school catering, among vCJD victims in South Hampshire as well as elsewhere in the country; further notes the Written Answer from the Minister of State for Health on 11 March 2008, giving a vCJD sub-clinical prevalence estimate of up to one in 1,400 of the population; and further asks that the Government completes its evaluation of screening for prions in blood supply and other possible measures to protect the blood supply as soon as possible, in light of the conclusions reported in the 15th annual report of the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit, that blood transfusion is beyond reasonable doubt a possible transmission route for vCJD.

That this House notes the 167 confirmed cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) in the UK, including three through blood transfusion, compared with three in total in the USA; congratulates and welcomes the work of Christine Lord, following the tragic death of her son Andy from vCJD at the age...

That this House is concerned that, despite recent falls, infection rates of MRSA, clostridium difficile, norovirus and other superbugs remain high and there is considerable public anxiety about this issue; notes that as everyone can carry and spread superbugs, patients and visitors, as well as hospital staff, have a part to play in helping to tackle infection; believes that patients should be provided with the means and information to protect themselves and others when they go into hospital; and calls on the Government to provide personal antimicrobial products that are proven to kill superbugs to every NHS in-patient as this will help reduce infection rates, empower patients and instil good hygiene practices at a small fraction of the financial cost of treating those who do contract superbugs.

That this House is concerned that, despite recent falls, infection rates of MRSA, clostridium difficile, norovirus and other superbugs remain high and there is considerable public anxiety about this issue; notes that as everyone can carry and spread superbugs, patients and visitors, as well as hospital staff, have a part...

That this House notes the 167 confirmed cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in the UK, including three through blood transfusion, compared with three in total in the USA; congratulates and welcomes the work of Christine Lord, following the tragic death of her son Andy from vCJD at the age of 24, in establishing a website, www.justiceforandy.com, and producing a BBC South documentary Who Killed My Son which can be watched on www.justiceforandy.com; asks the BBC to screen the documentary nationwide; notes the death from vCJD of another six young people living within 25 miles of Portsmouth; further asks the Government to commission further research to establish common factors, such as school catering, among vCJD victims in South Hampshire as well as elsewhere in the country; further notes the written answer from the Minister of State for Health on 11th March 2008, giving a vCJD sub-clinical prevalence estimate of up to 1 in 1,400 of the population; and further asks that the Government completes its evaluation of screening for prions in blood supply and other possible measures to protect the blood supply as soon as possible, in light of the conclusions reported in the 15th annual report of the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit that blood transfusion is beyond reasonable doubt a possible transmission route for vCJD.

That this House notes the 167 confirmed cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in the UK, including three through blood transfusion, compared with three in total in the USA; congratulates and welcomes the work of Christine Lord, following the tragic death of her son Andy from vCJD at the age...