Reflecting on the 2026 Group B Strep Conference: Key insights and learning

The event earlier this month formed part of our ongoing Maternity Matters series and brought together clinicians, legal professionals, safety specialists and advocates committed to improving outcomes for babies affected by Group B Streptococcus (GBS). 

The conference offered a powerful blend of clinical expertise, lived experience and integrated learning. Here are some key themes and takeaways from the day. 

Why Understanding Group B Strep Remains Essential

GBS is the leading cause of severe infection in newborns, yet public awareness remains limited. 

Around 800 babies each year in the UK develop a GBS infection, with many facing life-changing complications and around 50 dying. Awareness remains limited, making early recognition and consistent practice essential. At Irwin Mitchell, we’re committed to supporting healthcare partners by helping share learning that contributes to safer maternity care.

What Is Group B Strep?

GBS is a type of bacteria carried by men and women without symptoms. The only way to determine if someone is carrying GBS is through testing, such as a swab test at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy. While GBS is usually harmless for the carrier, it can pose serious risks to babies around the time of birth. 

The types of GBS

• Early‑onset (0 - 6 days): often presenting within 12 hours as sepsis or pneumonia.
• Late‑onset (7- 90 days): often presenting as meningitis with sepsis.

What Are The Signs of Group B Strep?

In the UK, around two- thirds of GBS infections are of early- onset, occurring in around one in every 1,750 babies. This presents as sepsis with pneumonia, with typical signs including:

• Grunting, noisy breathing or not breathing at all
• Inconsolable crying
• Not feeding well or not keeping milk down
• Having a high or low temperature 

Most early-onset infection symptoms can be identified at the maternity unit and can be treated or prevented without any further injuries to the baby. 

Up to a third of GBS infections in babies are of late-onset, occurring after the baby’s first six days of life, as meningitis with sepsis. Late-onset group B Strep infections occur in around one in every 2,700 babies in the UK and Ireland. 

The signs of late-onset GBS are similar to the early-onset signs, and may also include signs associated with meningitis, including:

• Tense or bulging fontanelle (soft spot on babies’ heads)
• Involuntary stiff body or jerking movements

Highlights From the Day

Midwifery Care and Management of Newborns

The conference opened with an excellent session delivered by Nina Khazaezadeh Regional Chief Midwife for London, NHS England, and midwife Perpetual Chilaka, who provided a detailed exploration of midwifery care and newborn management both in hospital and in the community. 

Their discussion illustrated how early warning signs can be missed when systems are stretched, and they reinforced the essential role of timely assessment and escalation

Early Identification and Early-Onset GBS

Consultant Neonatologist Simon Mitchell, followed with a clear and clinically grounded session on the early identification and management of GBS in the first days of life. 

His focus on early‑onset GBS underscored the importance of recognising subtle, yet critical, symptoms that should prompt urgent review. These themes closely mirror the patterns we see when supporting families, providing a valuable opportunity to share insight with clinical teams.

Late Onset GBS – Post Discharge Risks

Professor Simon Kroll presented on late onset GBS, which remains difficult to predict and currently cannot be prevented. He highlighted the need for improved parental information, better safety‑netting, and ongoing national research to address this gap. 

Learning From Litigation - A Legal Perspective

Richard Kayser a medical negligence partner at Irwin Mitchell who supports families affected by GBS, presented with Vanessa Splaine, a partner at Clyde & Co, to explore what litigation teaches us about system failures, missed opportunities, and the continued importance of listening to families. 

They discussed recurring themes seen across claims and how these can support safer clinical practice. We regularly work with trusts and ICSs to share this learning in training sessions and review meetings, helping reduce recurring risks.

Insights From NHS Resolution

Rachel Walsh from NHS Resolution delivered an excellent update on what NHS Resolution has learned from recent cases and how these insights are shaping future guidance, training priorities, and maternity safety initiatives. Her focus on pattern recognition and early intervention was particularly valuable. 

Best Practice, Guidelines and Campaigns

To conclude the conference, Jane Plumb MBE FRCOG, from Group B Strep Support, provided an inspiring update on current guidelines, national campaigns and best practice initiatives. Her contribution emphasised the vital role charities play in public awareness, education and policy change. Irwin Mitchell continues to work closely with maternity charities to support joint awareness, training and outreach initiatives.

A Shared Commitment to Better Outcomes

A consistent theme throughout the day was the importance of collaboration between clinicians, families, legal teams, safety bodies and advocacy organisations. GBS remains both under-recognised and widely preventable when early‑onset cases are identified promptly. Conferences like this one help unify learning across sectors and strengthen our shared commitment to improving maternity safety.

Support For Families

Families affected by GBS often feel isolated. Group B Strep Support is the leading charitable organisation to help those affected by the disease, providing information and support to families and education to health professionals.  

Irwin Mitchell’s medical negligence team assists families seeking answers, accountability, and access to necessary rehabilitation and long term support.

As the UK’s leading medical negligence law firm, Irwin Mitchell brings decades of experience supporting families whose children have suffered an injury caused by Group B Strep, offering compassionate guidance, clear answers, and the specialist expertise needed to help them move forward. You can find out more at our dedicated GBS claims section.  

If you are a clinician, charity partner or maternity safety lead interested in collaborating on future learning events or initiatives, we would be pleased to connect.

A recording of the event is available online.