On 5 February 2009, a new petition was launched in Northern Ireland calling for information and testing for GBS to be offered to all pregnant women on the NHS.

“Politicians and officials in Northern Ireland need to take action to save lives,” said Jane Plumb, chairman of medical charity Group B Strep Support.  “Routine testing for GBS would cut baby deaths and disease and end the needless suffering and grief this devastating infection can cause.”

The charity has high level support in Northern Ireland with both the Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP MLA and Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP MLA backing the campaign.  Jeffrey Donaldson said, "I have been over whelmed since GBS NI began their awareness campaign in December 2007 by the number of people who have contacted my office in support of the Group B Strep Support campaign. Members of my constituency have been describing how GBS has  impacted on their lives and, in response to this, GBS NI have setup a website and petition for people in Northern Ireland to come together and voice their opinion to the Northern Ireland Executive.  I would like to commend the work of GBS NI in their efforts to highlight the risks associated with GBS and the promotion of better care and testing by the Health Service."

To sign a petition to support this campaign in Northern Ireland go to: http://www.gbsni.org/petition/.

On 25 February 2008, the Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP MLA and Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP MLA jointly hosted an information event to raise awareness of a campaign to save babies lives by making sensitive testing for group B Streptococcus (GBS) available to pregnant women on the NHS.

Mr Donaldson, pictured here speaking at the event, with Prof Philip Steer and Jane Plumb.

Guest speakers Prof Philip Steer (chairman of GBSS's medical advisory panel) and Jane Plumb (chairman of GBSS) addressed an audience of MPs, MLAs, health professionals and families affected by group B Strep providing information about measures which can be taken which will prevent most of these infections in newborn babies.

Mr Donaldson, Northern Ireland’s new Junior Minister, said: “Northern Ireland has the highest rate of GBS infection in babies in the UK. Group B Strep causes many families unnecessary distress and heartache every year. We in Northern Ireland have the opportunity to lead the way in the UK by raising awareness of GBS and introducing testing to protect our babies from this devastating and preventable infection."

Dr Alasdair McDonnell, MP MLA, pictured here with Prof Philip Steer and health professionals from Northern Ireland at Stormont.

Dr McDonnell is supporting this campaign not just because he is an elected representative but because he also works as a General Practitioner in South Belfast and many of his patients are expectant mothers. He said, “Testing for GBS is a routine part of antenatal care in many countries but not in Northern Ireland. Accurate testing of pregnant woman must be made available by the Department of Health if we are to save parents the heartache of losing their newborn to this fatal but preventable infection”.

Both commended the Support Group in Northern Ireland for the excellent work that they are doing to highlight the risks associated with group B Strep and to promote better testing and care in the Health Service.