February 2023
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This conference discussed next steps for tackling antimicrobial resistance, with the recent call for evidence on the UK’s new 5-year action plan for AMR.
It was also an opportunity to assess the commitments outlined in the current plan and what will be needed for them to be taken forward, including:
- improving the surveillance of antimicrobial use and AMR
- widening the availability of data to support analysis of AMR prevalence and inform approaches to managing infection
- priorities for research on antimicrobial prescription and use, diagnostics and new therapeutics, and stewardship and resistance
- managing the use of antimicrobials in urinary tract infections (UTIs) and the drive to halve healthcare-associated Gram-negative bloodstream infections (GNBSIs) by 2024
Further sessions discussed international efforts to tackle AMR, including priorities for multi-national collaboration on research and action to reduce global health inequalities - with the updated AMR plans focusing on the UK’s international role and leadership.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with Professor Diane Ashiru-Oredope, Pharmacist Lead, HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU & Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency; Dr Haileyesus Getahun, Director, Global Coordination and Partnership, and Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR, World Health Organisation; Dr Tessa Lewis, GP; Medical Adviser; and Chair, Managing Common Infections Committee, NICE; and Dr David Jenkins, President, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Overall, areas for discussion included priorities and next steps for:
- UK strategy: meeting commitments to improve antimicrobial stewardship - improving surveillance and monitoring - making better use of data collected in primary care - medicines optimisation
- health literacy: developing understanding of how and when to use antibiotics - raising public awareness of AMR as a ‘silent pandemic’ - developing the role of pharmacists as prescribers
- prevention: reducing exposure to antibiotic-resistant infections and the need for antimicrobials - meeting commitments to halve healthcare-associated GNBSIs, such as UTIs, by 2024
- research and innovation:
- making best use of AMR research funds
- preserving effectiveness of existing antibiotics to support sustainability and stewardship efforts
- supporting development and discovery of novel antibiotics
- the UK’s role in supporting international research efforts and improving global access to medicines to help combat global health inequalities
- international collaboration:
- reducing exposure to bacterial infections in the international community
- opportunities for collaboration on wider prevention initiatives such as water sanitation and the development of health infrastructure
- how this can support reduction of global health inequalities
The conference was an opportunity for the stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from DHSC; MHRA; Department of Health, NI; Defra; DIT; FSA; FSS; OHID; OLS; ONS; The Scottish Government; and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons.
