Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 24
30th Report - Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks
Published 13 Jun 2025
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
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
From: Public Accounts Committee, 30th Report - Antimicrobial resistance: addressing the risks (HC 646), 13 June 2025
Government response
Latest Treasury Minutes progress report to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirtieth Report of Session 2024-26
The government responded to the whole report on 4 June 2026 (deadline 13 August 2025).
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirtieth report from Session 2024-26
Published 18 September 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it agrees with the Committee's recommendations on antimicrobial resistance, and sets out target implementation dates ranging from Winter 2025 to Autumn 2027.
- On progress against targets, the government agrees, and says targets are subject to annual review over the summer, "with the potential to revise, if deemed appropriate and agreed by the UK AMR Strategy Board".
- On transparency, it agrees and says the government "will publish the first of these reports by the autumn", describing activity during the first year of the 2024-2029 National Action Plan.
- On diagnostics, it agrees (target date Spring 2027) and says engagement will inform an "infection diagnostics framework" by 2027, with point-of-care test pilots reporting in 2026-2027.
- On wastewater, it agrees (target date Autumn 2027); the department "will provide a full response via a White Paper in Autumn 2025" and "will commission further research" on evidence gaps "by Summer 2026".