United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Confronting antimicrobial resistance (2024-2029)

Contents Executive summary 3 Theme 1 – Reducing the need for, and unintentional exposure to, antimicrobials3Theme 2 – Optimising the use of antimicrobials4Theme 3 – Investing in innovation, supply and access4Theme 4 – Being a good global partner4 Introduction The threat of AMRThe UK responseLessons learntAbout this national action plan 691013 Theme 1 – Reducing the need for, and unintentional exposure to, antimicrobials Outcome 1 – Infection prevention and control and infection management18Outcome 2 – Public engagement and education22Outcome 3 – Strengthened surveillance25 Theme 2 – Optimising the use of antimicrobials29Outcome 4 – Antimicrobial stewardship and disposal29Outcome 5 – AMR workforce35 Outcome 6 – Innovation and influenceOutcome 7 – Using information for actionOutcome 8 – Health disparities and health inequalities 434954 Theme 4 – Being a good global partnerOutcome 9 – AMR diplomacy 5858 Conclusion Executive summary Antimicrobials are the cornerstone of modern medicine that treat millions of people worldwide.They are used in the treatment of minor and potentially life-threatening infections in humansand animals. They are used in support of surgery and modern cancer therapies. Organisms thatbecome resistant to antimicrobials mean that treatments are less effective, causing harm to humansand animals. Resistant organisms spread through people, animals, food and the environment,creating a major public health threat. In 2019 the UK published its20-year vision for antimicrobial resistance(AMR).This set theambitious goal of ensuring AMR will be controlled and contained by 2040. To deliver on this vision,the government committed to producing a series of 5-year national action plans. These will providesustained and ongoing progress towards achieving the vision’s ambitions for change. Thefirst 5-year national action plan for antimicrobial resistance,‘Tackling antimicrobial resistance2019 to 2024’, was an important step towards achieving this vision. The work carried out acrossgovernment led to progressive action towards reducing the negative impact of AMR in the UKand globally. Successes of that plan included: •further reductions in the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals•the development of improved surveillance systems•the piloting of new payment schemes for antibiotics on the NHS This national action plan (NAP), ‘Confronting antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029’, buildson the achievements and lessons of the first. It contains outcomes and commitments that willmake progress towards the 20-year vision for AMR to be contained, controlled and mitigated.To confront AMR, the 2024 to 2029 national action plan has 9 strategic outcomes organisedunder 4 themes. Action will be taken across all sectors (human health, animal health, agricultureand the environment). Theme 1 – Reducing the need for, and unintentional exposureto, antimicrobials This theme has 3 outcomes: 1.Infection prevention and control and infection management – this outcome aims to reduceexposure to antimicrobials through a whole-systems approach to infection prevention andcontrol (IPC), improved diagnostics and treatment in different settings (humans, animals,agriculture and the environment).2.Public engagement and education – this aims to empower and engage the public on the risk ofexposure to antimicrobials.3.Strengthened surveillance – this aims to improve understanding of AMR through capability tomeasure, predict and understand how resistant microorganisms spread across and betweenhumans, animals, agriculture and the environment. Theme 2 – Optimising the use of antimicrobials This theme has 2 outcomes: 4.Antimicrobial stewardship and disposal – this aims to improve the use of antimicrobials topreserve future effectiveness.5.AMR workforce – this aims to raise awareness with the workforce in human health, animalhealth and agriculture to improve the optimal use of antimicrobials. Theme 3 – Investing in innovation, supply and access This theme has 3 outcomes: 6.Innovation and influence – this calls on the life sciences sector to prioritise the developmentof new approaches to diagnose and treat infections, the development of vaccines to preventinfections as well as the development new antimicrobials.7.Using information for action – this aims to enable decisions to be based on robustsurveillance, scientific research and data sets to provide the best information for decisionmaking. This section also sets out the top research priorities from policy makers.8.Health disparities and health inequalities – this aims to improve the information availableto identify where the burden of AMR is greatest. This will help to target future interventionswhere they will have the greatest impact. Theme 4 – Being a good global partner This theme has the last outcome: 9.AMR diplomacy – confronting AMR is a worldwide problem that requires global action.This outcome aims to fulfil the ambition to have sustained engagement via G7,