Streptococcus: Screening
(asked on 8th December 2022) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to deploy rapid molecular testing systems for patients who may be suffering from Strep A.
Answered by
Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) current guidance on strep A rapid diagnostics does not recommend routine adoption of rapid molecular testing systems for diagnosing STREP-A in patients aged five years old and over presenting with sore throat.
A multi-agency guidance document was published through the National Health Service website to support clinicians providing an interim clinical guidance summary on Group A Streptococcal (GAS) infection in children. The aim of this guidance is to support clinical diagnosis, promote appropriate use of antimicrobials, whilst ensuring patient safety in an evolving situation. The guidance is available at the following link:
UK Health Security Agency have robust arrangements for surveillance of strep A related infections implemented in England. This combines notifications of clinical diagnosis, syndromic surveillance of clinical presentations at GPs, emergency departments and through NHS 111, with reporting of laboratory testing of clinician-administered tests.