Recommendation 24

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 system, which would improve productivity as well as addressing AMR.62 Dr Partridge told us that while there was progress in getting test results more quickly the NHS should be trying to move more diagnostic tests to where the patient is receiving care, and relying less on an external laboratory.63 We also received a number of submissions emphasising the need to invest further in diagnostics. These included 54 Qq 40–41, 86; C&AG’s report, para 5 55 C&AG’s Report, para 1.8; Public Health England, Research reveals levels of inappropriate prescriptions in England, press release, 27 February 2018 56 C&AG’s Report, para 2.13 57 Q 85 58 Q 40 59 Q 85 60 C&AG’s Report, paras, 2.11, 2.13, 2.35, Figure 11 61 HM Government, Confronting antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029, May 2024 62 Qq 6–7 63 Qq 3, 8 15 evidence from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, which highlighted the need to prioritise diagnostics because fast diagnosis of AMR lung infections was critical for people with cystic fibrosis.64