Why I’m running the London Landmarks Half-Marathon for GBSS and Zac

20 February 2025

In November 2022, Hannah and Tim Taylor-Smith were looking forward to delivering and welcoming home their newborn son, Zachary, in time for Christmas.

I met Hannah and Tim the following year while working with Nicola Wainwright in the Clinical Negligence team at JMW Solicitors. We travelled from London to Derby to meet the couple at their family home. They had read online that Nicola had experience representing parents whose babies had been adversely affected by Group B Strep (GBS) infection and wanted to know what they could do for baby Zac, who very sadly passed away at just 14 hours old as a result of group B Strep.

Hannah did not know that she was carrying GBS at the time of Zac’s delivery, nor did the medical professionals treating her. She was neither tested nor given a leaflet to inform her about the existence of GBS or told that she could pay for a test privately if she chose to. Hannah was not offered preventative antibiotics during labour, despite it being planned that she would give birth early.

Zac was born preterm at 36 weeks. Sadly, babies are at higher risk of developing GBS infection when born preterm; their immune system is not fully developed and not quite strong enough to protect them. Therefore, national guidelines recommend that antibiotics are given to women and people in preterm labour to help protect these vulnerable babies. However, in Zac’s case, the antibiotics were not given.

There were unfortunately numerous errors in Hannah’s care – including an 18-hour delay between rupture of membranes and Zac’s delivery - that colluded together to place Zac at even greater risk of early onset neonatal infection.

While understandably bereft, Hannah and Tim were also extremely determined to raise awareness of GBS and what had happened to them when we met them. We spoke at length in their living room about GBS and the voluminous research that they had done about group B Strep in the time since Zac’s death. They were outraged that GBS hadn’t been brought to their attention during this pregnancy, nor indeed any of Hannah’s pregnancies.

Given that the NHS do not currently offer GBS testing for pregnant women and people, tests must be purchased privately. Group B Strep Support very helpfully signpost people to tests through their website. In Hannah’s case, however, she didn’t have the opportunity to make use of that offering as she had not been informed of the risk to begin with. She felt extremely disempowered that her option to get tested had been taken away from her.

Tim and Hannah don’t want other parents to experience the grief that they have, and therefore have been campaigning to try to make sure that all expectant parents are informed about GBS testing.

Both Tim and Hannah gave powerful testimony at Zac’s Inquest about the feelings of helplessness they experienced as the symptoms of infection became apparent on the day that should have been solely about celebrating his arrival.

The Coroner subsequently issued a ‘Prevention of Future Deaths’ Report to the NHS trust responsible for the hospital where Zac was born, with the aim of addressing their failures in care so that future patients are better protected. This means not only is Zac’s memory very much kept alive by his loving family, but he also has a legacy of his own now. Not only does his story educate others about GBS testing and treating, but we all hope that the tragedy of his death has also driven systemic change at the hospital.

It was a privilege for me and Nicola to represent the family through Zac’s Inquest and subsequent medical negligence claim, and so when the opportunity presented itself to run the London Landmarks Half Marathon in memory of Zac and in aid of Group B Strep Support, I felt compelled to sign up – as did Tim, Zac’s dad. On 6 April 2025, we’ll complete the 21.1km (13.1 miles) course through central London in the hope that vital funds can be raised to support Group B Strep Support’s mission of stopping GBS infection in babies.

GBSS is the world’s leading charity working to eradicate GBS infection in babies. They educate the public, doctors and midwives about group B Strep, and provide information and support to affected families, including via a dedicated helpline. GBSS is completely independent and mainly supported by kind donations. They want all pregnant women and people to be informed about GBS, to be offered the opportunity of a test as part of their antenatal care, and to be informed about the key signs of GBS infection in babies. JMW Solicitors LLP supports the charity and our Partner Nicola Wainwright is a member of their expert Legal Panel .