Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 15 Jan 2025 Closed: 21 Aug 2025 Parliament page
Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections cause an estimated 1.3m deaths globally each year, and rising, and lead to the failure of antibiotics for treating human illness. 67,000 people experienced an AMR infection in 2023. 2,200 of those people died. The UN has predicted that by 2050, AMR will cause 10m or more … Read more
18 Recommendations
28 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Event
Activity timeline 4 events
18 Sep
2025
Report published
13 Jun
2025
Report published
27 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
27 Mar
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
27 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Abigail Seager · Defra Dr David Partridge · Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Professor Sir Chris Whitty · Department for Health and Social Care Professor Sir Stephen Powis · NHS England Professor Susan Hopkins · UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) The Lord O'Neill of Gatley
Title HC No. Published Items Response
30th Report - Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks HC 646 13 Jun 2025 46 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
46 results
2 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Mandate DHSC and Defra to review and increase ambition of AMR targets regularly.
Government has missed most of the targets in the 2019–24 National Action Plan (NAP) and the ambition of the new targets is much more modest. While the government previously set targets for reductions of 50% in Gram-negative bloodstream infections1 and … Read more
Government Response
The government agreed and stated it already conducts biannual formal reporting and annual reviews of AMR targets, with analysis of surveillance trends and expert advice informing potential revisions to ambition. New sector-specific targets for livestock are also expected in late 2025.
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3 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Require DHSC and Defra to publish regular updates on AMR progress and chronic risk.
Government has not been sufficiently transparent about what it is achieving against its AMR targets and commitments. Only one of the five domestic targets in the 2019–24 NAP was achieved, relating to reducing the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals. … Read more
Government Response
The government agreed and stated it has established a new process for assessing chronic risks, publishing the Chronic Risks Analysis in July 2025 alongside the Resilience Strategy. The Cabinet Office will publish an updated analysis before the end of this Parliament, with DHSC and Defra committed to providing ongoing advice on AMR as a chronic risk.
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4 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Mandate health bodies to demonstrate progress in using diagnostic tools for AMR over two years.
DHSC has made slow progress in implementing diagnostic tools that could help reduce AMR. Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in primary care is estimated to be around 20% of antibiotic prescriptions, which is too high and could drive AMR. ‘Inappropriate’ includes … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to several actions, including an infection diagnostics framework by 2027, producing a rapid review pipeline, and scoping pilot schemes for point-of-care tests under Pharmacy First to launch in Q3 2025-26 and report in 2026-27. It also highlights ongoing research funding and partnerships in AMR diagnostics.
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5 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Ensure NHS England mainstreams AMR into everyday policy and addresses estate and workforce issues.
Addressing the threat of AMR should be a core part of all of the NHS’s work, including the fundamentals that reduce the spread of infection. Infection prevention and control measures, such as good hygiene practices, aseptic techniques and high standards … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to use the modular ward to generate evidence, inform hospital design, enhance existing guidance, and deliver training for infection prevention and control specialists. This ongoing work, including studying environmental reservoirs of AMR and informing the New Hospital Programme, directly addresses the recommendation for developing best practice.
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6 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Mandate health bodies to keep updated on scientific AMR developments and fund vital research.
It is vital that government keeps up to date with scientific developments that might help tackle the threat of AMR. Research can help identify better ways of mitigating AMR and treating those with AMR infections, including through the use of … Read more
Government Response
The government states the recommendation is implemented, detailing how it invests over £88 million in AMR research through NIHR, funds biosecurity capabilities, and supports various research units and initiatives. It also highlights how NHSE publishes monthly AMR evidence bulletins and annual horizon scans, and VMD funds ongoing research to keep updated with scientific developments.
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7 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Encourage other countries to introduce antibiotic subscription models by disseminating UK evaluation results
The government deserves credit for introducing an antibiotic subscription model, and it now needs to evaluate its impact on the usage of antibiotics and pharmaceutical companies’ efforts to bring new antibiotics to the market. The UK was one of the … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to encouraging other countries to adopt an antibiotic subscription model through forums like the G7 and G20 and by sharing UK learnings. It has commissioned an evaluability assessment from July 2025 to early 2026, which will inform a future evaluation on the model's impact on antibiotic innovation, and will publish assessment scores from Spring 2026.
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8 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Require Defra to set public health goals for wastewater and conduct more research
Mismanagement of wastewater and sewage is a serious public health concern and heightens the threat of AMR. Storm overflows involve sewage getting into waterways such as rivers. They increase the prevalence and diversity of resistant pathogens in the environment and … Read more
Government Response
Defra commits to providing a full response via a White Paper in Autumn 2025, outlining its approach to embedding public health across the water system and addressing public health goals. It highlights ongoing research on AMR in sewage sludge, with phase 4 reporting in 2027, and will commission further research on human health and wastewater by Summer 2026.
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9 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Prioritise better data collection, sharing, and analysis across One Health sectors
There are shortcomings in data collection and sharing, hindering efforts to tackle AMR. The UK government operates a ‘One Health’ approach to AMR, encompassing human health, animal health, food safety and the environment, and intended to facilitate collaboration between these … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to prioritize better data collection and sharing, highlighting that UKHSA launched a new data dashboard in February 2025 with further AMR indicators to be uploaded by Autumn 2025. It also commits to developing a joint data strategy with NHSE, and VMD is conducting and funding new animal AMR surveillance pilots until 2029, with a joint UK One Health Report due in 2026.
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1 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Committee received evidence on the threat of antimicrobial resistance in the UK
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) at the … Read more
Government Response
The government states the "recommendation is implemented", outlining its existing efforts to tackle AMR, including the 2024-29 UK National Action Plan, driving international action through UNGA and trade agreements, and ensuring AMR is captured as a chronic risk on the National Risk Register.
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10 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
AMR considerations remain complex in UK international trade negotiations
We asked DHSC about whether AMR should be a component of trade negotiations. DHSC told us that the UK starts from a position of wanting to minimise the risk of antibiotic contamination of food and antibiotic-resistant organisms entering the UK … Read more
Government Response
The government states the recommendation is "implemented" and explains that AMR measures are already secured in recent trade agreements, departments contribute to negotiations, and new FTAs are assessed to ensure consistency with UK statutory protections related to AMR.
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11 Conclusion Not Addressed
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Cuts to ODA funding threaten UK's global AMR efforts and Fleming Fund initiatives
An important part of the UK’s international work on AMR is the aid provided, particularly through the Fleming Fund, to fund AMR initiatives in low- and middle-income countries. This aid can help support the global fight against AMR, for example … Read more
Government Response
The government states the recommendation is "implemented" and outlines how AMR is addressed in the National Action Plan and trade agreements, but does not address the committee's specific concern regarding the impact of UK aid cuts on international AMR efforts.
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12 Conclusion Acknowledged
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Most domestic targets in 2019-24 AMR National Action Plan remained unachieved
As part of its 2019–24 National Action Plan for AMR, the third UK plan of its kind, the government set five domestic targets. These related to levels of drug-resistant and Gram-negative bloodstream infections (named after a bacteria-testing method and are … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the observation and details its processes for closely monitoring and annually reviewing NAP human health targets, using data and expert advice to guide future action and potential revisions.
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13 Recommendation Accepted in Part
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
New 2024-29 AMR Action Plan targets are less ambitious and potentially insufficient
The 2024–29 National Action Plan (NAP) includes new targets which are less stretching than the targets in the 2019–24 NAP. While the government previously set targets for reductions of 50% in Gram-negative bloodstream infections and 10% in drug-resistant infections, the … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to monitor progress against NAP human health targets biannually and review them annually, with potential for revision if deemed appropriate, but states that preventing an increase in drug-resistant and gram-negative bloodstream infections from the 2019 baseline is already ambitious due to demographic changes.
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14 Conclusion Acknowledged
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Increasing threat from highly resistant Gram-negative infections with limited treatment options
Dr Partridge told us that there is also an increasing threat in the UK from strains of pathogens which cause Gram-negative infections that are more likely to be resistant and more likely to result in the death of the patient. … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the observation, stating it monitors progress against targets biannually and reviews them annually, with UKHSA modelling trends and seeking expert advice on revisions, but acknowledges that preventing an increase in these infections is ambitious.
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15 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Past animal health AMR targets were unchallenging; new plan lacks targets amid rising usage
We asked VMD whether the targets set for animal health in the 2019–24 NAP were challenging enough given that they were successfully achieved. VMD acknowledged that while reaching the targets was a big success, it also considered that this was … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, outlining processes for monitoring and reviewing human health targets by Winter 2025, and stating that VMD will incorporate new, ambitious sector-specific targets for animal health by late 2025 if sufficiently challenging.
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16 Conclusion Acknowledged
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Government's 2019-24 AMR action plan targets largely unmet with slow progress.
The government achieved only one of the five quantitative domestic targets it set as part of the 2019–24 NAP–reducing the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals.41 The 2019–24 NAP also set 128 commitments for DHSC and Defra which related to … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the observation of past progress, and states it will monitor progress against new NAP targets biannually, conduct annual reviews, and use surveillance trends and modelling to inform future target ambition, while acknowledging the challenge of preventing increases in some infections.
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17 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Government's 2019-24 AMR action plan progress lacks transparency and public accessibility.
The 2019–24 NAP’s commitments were tracked internally, and the government has not published information on its progress across all of its commitments.44 While some data on the 2019–24 NAP’s quantitative targets is available through publications by UKHSA and Defra, this … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and commits to publishing a short annual report by Autumn, summarising progress against the 2024-2029 National Action Plan for AMR, building on existing data publications by UKHSA and VMD.
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18 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
AMR is a chronic risk with potential acute threats, hindering sustained government focus.
The government categorises AMR as one of 26 ‘chronic’ risks facing the UK, which means that it poses a long-term, continuous challenge to the UK, as opposed to an ‘acute’ risk which is an immediate threat which may require an … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, stating that Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has been incorporated as a chronic risk in the 2025 National Risk Register and Chronic Risks Analysis, and a new process for identifying and assessing chronic risks has been established by Summer 2025.
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19 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
UK preparedness for acute AMR risks is strong initially, but scaling up remains challenging.
We also asked DHSC about the UK’s preparedness for addressing the chronic risk of AMR and the possibility of it becoming an acute risk. DHSC told us that the UK has a strong base which would make the initial response … Read more
Government Response
The government states AMR has been incorporated into the 2025 National Risk Register and Chronic Risks Analysis, and describes ongoing processes for identifying and assessing chronic risks, including future publications and inter-departmental collaboration.
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20 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Government's comprehensive analysis of chronic AMR risks remains internal and unpublished.
On transparency, the government provided a brief summary of the risk presented by AMR in the National Risk Register 2023 edition.52 In 2024, the government completed an analysis of the 26 chronic risks facing the UK. However, this analysis is … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and confirms that the Chronic Risks Analysis, which includes AMR, was published in July 2025 alongside the Resilience Strategy, aiming to raise public awareness and understanding of chronic risks.
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21 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
A significant proportion of antibiotic prescriptions in primary care are inappropriate.
Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans can occur when they are prescribed inappropriately. Inappropriate use is when antimicrobials are prescribed when they are unnecessary (such as using antibiotics, which are only effective against bacteria, to treat a viral infection), … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, setting a target implementation date of Spring 2027 for related initiatives. They are developing an infection diagnostics framework by 2027, launching point-of-care test pilots in Q3 2025-2026, and exploring rapid laboratory tests to improve appropriate antimicrobial use.
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22 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Inadequate diagnostic tests hinder clinicians from reducing inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing effectively.
Better use of diagnostic tools can reduce inappropriate prescribing.56 Diagnostic tools are those which can help diagnose what infection a patient has, thereby helping clinicians determine with accuracy whether a patient needs an antimicrobial treatment and, if so, which one.57 … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to improve diagnostic tools by Spring 2027, outlining £18 million in research investment, an infection diagnostics framework by 2027, and pilot schemes for point-of-care tests in primary care.
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23 Recommendation Accepted
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Lack of progress on diagnostics target due to data limitations; no new quantitative goal.
The 2019–24 NAP had a target to be able, by 2024, to report on the percentage of prescriptions supported by a diagnostic test or decision support tool. However, this was not achieved due to continuing limitations with data, including diagnostic … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to improve diagnostic reporting and availability by Spring 2027, detailing £18 million in research investment, an infection diagnostics framework by 2027, and pilot schemes for point-of-care tests to reduce avoidable antimicrobial use.
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24 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Diagnostics require further investment and greater integration across the entire health system.
Lord O’Neill told us that although DHSC and its arm’s-length bodies have done a decent job in some key areas, they have not really progressed diagnostics. He is of the view that diagnostics should be embedded across the entire health … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, setting a target implementation date of Spring 2027 for related diagnostic initiatives. They are developing an infection diagnostics framework by 2027, launching point-of-care test pilots in Q3 2025-2026, and exploring rapid laboratory tests to enhance diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial use.
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25 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
NHS England is optimistic about future diagnostics, but GP engagement on prescribing is needed.
NHS England told us that it is more optimistic about the future use of diagnostics. It told us that there would be “an explosion” of point of care diagnostic tests as well as a very bright future for their use … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, setting a target implementation date of Spring 2027 for related diagnostic initiatives. They are developing an infection diagnostics framework by 2027, launching point-of-care test pilots in Q3 2025-2026, and exploring rapid laboratory tests to enhance diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial use.
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26 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
English pharmacists twice as likely to prescribe antibiotics for sore throats than Welsh counterparts.
Under the Pharmacy First scheme introduced in early 2024, patients can now consult pharmacists directly for several minor illnesses and conditions that previously required a GP visit and the pharmacist can prescribe medicines if necessary. NHS England commented that early … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, setting a target implementation date of Spring 2027 for related diagnostic initiatives. They are developing an infection diagnostics framework by 2027, launching point-of-care test pilots in Q3 2025-2026, and exploring rapid laboratory tests to enhance diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial use.
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27 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Hospital-acquired C. difficile and MRSA infections reach multi-year highs across NHS.
An essential part of reducing the threat of AMR in humans is the day-to- day work of the NHS in preventing and controlling infections, such as good hygiene practices, aseptic technique and high standards of cleanliness, which can limit the … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to publishing an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Workforce and Education Strategy by September 2025, a 10-year workforce plan, and integrating AMR prevention into undergraduate and postgraduate training for those graduating in 2026.
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28 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
NHS staff inconsistently adhere to basic infection prevention and control procedures.
We asked about issues with infection prevention and whether some of the basics were not being upheld as much as they should. DHSC said that we should not underestimate how much of the battle against AMR “is really basic things”, … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to prioritize infection control by embedding AMR into strategies, publishing an Infection Prevention and Control Workforce and Education Strategy by September 2025, integrating AMR prevention into medical training from 2026, and researching environmental controls and hospital design.
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29 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Poor condition of NHS estate significantly hinders effective infection prevention and control efforts.
A significant obstacle to preventing infections is also the poor condition of the NHS estate.73 Dr Partridge told us that in many hospitals patients are close together and share toilets in facilities that are difficult to clean, and that this … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, setting a Summer 2026 target. They are embedding AMR in strategies and plans, developing an IPC Workforce and Education Strategy by September 2025, integrating AMR prevention into training for 2026 graduates, and using UKHSA's modular ward research to inform new hospital designs and refurbishment.
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30 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Significant workforce shortfall of medical microbiologists and virologists undermines NHS infection control.
Another challenge relates to the NHS workforce. There is a shortfall of professionals in this area, including of medical microbiologists and virologists.77 According to the Royal College of Pathologists, there is a 20% shortfall in consultant medical microbiologists and a … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to address workforce shortfalls by Summer 2026, outlining plans to prioritise AMR and infection control, publish an IPC Workforce and Education Strategy by September 2025, and integrate AMR prevention into undergraduate and postgraduate medical training by 2026.
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31 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
UK healthcare workers demonstrate insufficient understanding of antimicrobial resistance, impacting national targets.
UKHSA has run professional engagement campaigns to try to improve clinicians’ understanding of AMR, however it has struggled to sustain their impact. In 2024, a survey found that only 62% of UK healthcare workers could answer a set of seven … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to publishing an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Workforce and Education Strategy by September 2025, a 10-year workforce plan, and integrating AMR prevention into undergraduate and postgraduate training for those graduating in 2026.
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32 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Scientific research and development are crucial for advancing AMR diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines.
Taking advantage of scientific research and developments will be very important in addressing the threat of AMR. Research and development can improve tools such as diagnostics to improve prescribing of antimicrobials, as well as producing new antimicrobials and vaccines.82 It … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, stating it is implemented by existing efforts. They detail their commitment to using evidence for AMR policy, including ongoing research funding aligned with NAP priorities, collaboration, and considering international activity, highlighting significant investments and research initiatives already underway.
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33 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Phage therapy shows AMR promise but faces significant clinical, licensing, and testing barriers.
Another area of research interest is phage therapy, which involves using viruses as antimicrobials to kill bacteria and is less likely to lead to resistance.84 Dr Partridge told us that in his view phage therapy holds great promise as a … Read more
Government Response
The government states the recommendation has been implemented, committing over £88 million to AMR research, funding horizon scanning for innovations like phage therapy, and supporting various research units and high-priority AMR trials.
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34 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Ensure sufficient resourcing, prioritisation, and implementation focus for scientific AMR research globally.
Several organisations carry out research on AMR, including DHSC and UKHSA who are responsible for funding some of this research, for example through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) which reported that it funded £88 million of … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation and states it is implemented. They commit to ensuring evidence informs AMR policy through ongoing research funding aligned with NAP priorities, public sector collaboration, and considering international activity, detailing significant existing investments and research initiatives.
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35 Conclusion Accepted
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UK introduced innovative subscription-based model for incentivising new antibiotic development and reduced use.
As part of the 2019–24 NAP, the government introduced a subscription- based model to pay for antibiotics. Instead of paying pharmaceutical companies based on the quantity of antibiotics used, the model pays out a flat-rate subscription fee.92 The aim of … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to promote its antibiotic subscription model internationally, has commissioned an evaluability assessment from July 2025 to early 2026 to inform a future evaluation, and will publish assessment scores for contracted products from Spring 2026.
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36 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
NHS England's £1.9 billion subscription model requires ongoing monitoring for maximised benefits.
NHS England estimates that the subscription model will cost £1.9 billion over 16 years. This is a significant investment that requires ongoing monitoring to ensure the benefits can be maximised. The model will be evaluated by the NIHR, which is … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, setting a Spring 2026 target. They have commissioned an evaluability assessment from July 2025 to early 2026 to inform a future evaluation of the subscription model and will publish assessment scores from Spring 2026 to facilitate overall scheme evaluation.
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37 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
UK's subscription model alone insufficient to significantly impact global investment in new antibiotics.
In particular, it not yet clear whether the subscription model will be effective in driving investment in new antibiotics, especially as the UK makes up only 3% of the global market for antibiotics. When we asked NHS England about this, … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and will continue to encourage other countries to implement pull incentives for antibiotics via G7/G20, while also commissioning an evaluability assessment from July 2025 to early 2026 and committing to publish assessment scores for contracted products from Spring 2026.
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38 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Contamination from wastewater and sewage significantly increases AMR pathogen levels in waterways.
Wastewater is water that has been affected by domestic, commercial or industrial activities, as well as agricultural run-off and hospital waste.96 Sewage is wastewater that contains human waste. Sewage discharges are the release of raw, untreated sewage into waterways such … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, committing to providing a White Paper in Autumn 2025 in response to the Independent Water Commission's recommendations on public health in water systems and continuing the Chemical Investigations Programme, with further research commissioned by Summer 2026.
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39 Conclusion Accepted
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Increasing untreated sewage spills from storm overflows exacerbate antimicrobial resistance, posing serious public health concerns.
Storm overflow valves are designed to release water from the sewer network into watercourses and the sea when the volume of water is too high for the system.100 In 2016, 862 storm overflow sites were monitored for spills of untreated … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, setting an Autumn 2027 target. They will publish a White Paper in Autumn 2025 to embed public health in the water system, continue research on AMR and sewage sludge (reporting 2027), and commission further research on human health and wastewater by Summer 2026.
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40 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
The 2019–24 NAP demonstrated limited ambition and insufficient action on AMR in wastewater.
The 2019–24 NAP contained limited ambitions regarding AMR and the environment, although it was based on a ‘One Health’ approach. An independent evaluation of the 2019–24 NAP by the Policy Innovation and Research Unit was particularly critical of the UK’s … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to publishing a White Paper by Autumn 2025 outlining its approach to embedding public health across the water system, continuing the Chemical Investigations Programme (Phase 4 reporting in 2027), and commissioning further research on human health and wastewater evidence gaps by Summer 2026.
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41 Recommendation Accepted
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Wastewater management primarily viewed as an environmental issue, hindering public health approach to AMR.
We asked DHSC and VMD if they were concerned about the dumping of sewage.105 DHSC noted that there are a lot of storm overflows and that these are one of the main routes by which resistant pathogens get into waterways. … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to the recommendation to address sewage dumping as a public health issue, stating it will respond to the Independent Water Commission's recommendation for public health to be a statutory objective for water companies via a White Paper in Autumn 2025.
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42 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Defra and Ofwat developing water industry investment plan to reduce storm overflows and upgrade treatment works.
Defra and Ofwat have been working together to determine an investment plan for the water industry, setting expectations to reduce the number of storm overflows by 45% compared with 2021 and to upgrade over 1,700 water treatment works. Defra expects … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to the recommendation to improve wastewater management, stating it will provide a full response via a White Paper in Autumn 2025 to the Independent Water Commission's recommendations, including commissioning further research into AMR and wastewater by Summer 2026.
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43 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Significant data collection gaps persist across UK sectors despite the 'One Health' approach.
The UK government’s ‘One Health’ approach encompasses human health, animal health, food safety, and the environment and is intended to facilitate collaboration between these sectors.108 DHSC commended the very close relationship in the UK between human health experts and vets, … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and is implementing actions to strengthen data collection and sharing across One Health sectors, including launching a new UKHSA data dashboard by Autumn 2025, developing a joint data strategy with NHSE, and undertaking novel AMR surveillance pilots in animals until 2029.
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44 Recommendation Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Disconnected health data systems and lack of central repository hinder effective antimicrobial stewardship.
Lord O’Neill told us there is an underlying data problem in the health sphere, with many data systems not connecting properly.111 Better data in health would make it easier for clinicians making decisions on infection management and prescribing antimicrobials. The … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, detailing plans to strengthen data collection and sharing across One Health sectors by Autumn 2026, including new data dashboards, joint data strategies, and novel surveillance pilots extending to 2029.
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45 Conclusion Accepted
30th Report - Antimicrobial resist…
Strong indications link AMR to health inequalities, but routine data on this issue remains limited.
There are strong indications that AMR is also a health inequalities issue. The most deprived quintile of the population being nearly 50% more likely to get a drug-resistant bloodstream infection than the least deprived quintile (38.1 people per 100,000 as … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, setting an Autumn 2026 target. They are strengthening data collection, with UKHSA launching a new dashboard in February 2025 and adding more indicators by Autumn 2025, and NHSE developing a joint data strategy with UKHSA including a new national infection management audit.
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46 Recommendation Accepted
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VMD's animal health surveillance relies too heavily on private testing and limited species data.
For the clinical surveillance of animal health, VMD is very reliant on private testing of animals. Some infections of some species are reportable by law but VMD’s access to other data can be difficult.116 VMD told us that its routine … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to strengthen data collection and sharing across One Health sectors, including launching new data dashboards, and initiating novel AMR surveillance pilots in healthy animals like dogs, cats, and equines until 2029, alongside ongoing work with private veterinary labs.
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Government Response AI assessment · 46 of 18 classified
Accepted 41
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 3
Not Addressed 1
Total 18 recs + 28 conclusions