The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will examine the Government's
efforts to contain, control and mitigate anti-microbial
resistance (AMR) by 2040, on Thursday 27th March. The
session follows a reportpublished on the
same issue by the National Audit Office (NAO).
Antimicrobial medicines, such as (but not only) antibiotics, are
becoming less effective in the treatment of a range of
infections, as the number of ‘resistant' pathogens increases. A
continued decline in the effectiveness of these medicines would
have profoundly negative economic and societal consequences with
formerly routine operations becoming life threatening and food
supply chains disrupted. Recent estimates suggest that the NHS
spends £180 million annually on AMR in treatment costs. However,
with the World Bank estimating a global increase of $1.2 trillion
in additional costs by 2050, this figure looks set to rise.
Since 2013, there have been three successive national strategies
or ‘action plans' launched to tackle AMR. However, the NAO
recently reported that of the five targets set out by Government
in the most recent action plan, only one was met. The report also
raised concerns that the overcrowded and undermaintained NHS
estate is likely making it more difficult for staff to clean and
maintain effective infection prevention and control
standards.
In the first panel, the Committee will hear from the author of
the 2014 Government commissioned review of AMR, Lord Jim O'Neill
and the president of the British Infection Association, Dr David
Partridge.
The Committee will then hear from witnesses including Professor
Sir , and the Government's Chief
Medical Advisor, Professor Susan Hopkins, with likely topics
including:
- Assessing the UK's current resilience against antimicrobial
resistance;
- Examining the new 2024-49 national action plan to understand
if its targets go far enough, and;
- If the level of required behavioural change necessary to
address this issue can be achieved in both organisations and the
public.
Witnesses
From 10.00am:
- The , Author of the
Review on Antimicrobial Resistance
- Dr David Partridge, Consultant microbiologist and infection
control doctor, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust
From 10.45am:
- Professor Sir , Interim Permanent
Secretary and Chief Medical Officer, Department for Health and
Social Care
- Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director, NHS
England
- Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor, UK Health
Security Agency
- Abigail Seager, Chief Executive Officer, Veterinary Medicines
Directorate, Department for the Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs
