Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 43
43
Accepted
Significant data collection gaps persist across UK sectors despite the 'One Health' approach.
Conclusion
The UK government’s ‘One Health’ approach encompasses human health, animal health, food safety, and the environment and is intended to facilitate collaboration between these sectors.108 DHSC commended the very close relationship in the UK between human health experts and vets, something which was not generally the case internationally.109 There are, however, significant gaps in the collection of data within and across the sectors in the UK.110
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and is implementing actions to strengthen data collection and sharing across One Health sectors, including launching a new UKHSA data dashboard by Autumn 2025, developing a joint data strategy with NHSE, and undertaking novel AMR surveillance pilots in animals until 2029.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
9.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Target implementation date: Autumn 2026 9.2 The government is working to strengthen data collection and sharing across One Health sectors. 9.3 UKHSA launched a new data dashboard in February 2025, including data on healthcare associated infections and AMR prevalence. Further AMR indicators for urinary tract infections will be uploaded by Autumn 2025. 9.4 UKHSA has disaggregated ESPAUR report data on antimicrobial use and resistance by factors associated with health inequalities: age, index of multiple deprivation, geography (antimicrobial use and resistance data) and ethnicity (AMR data), to better understand AMR as a health inequalities issue. 9.5 NHSE is working with UKHSA to develop a joint data strategy to support a coordinated approach to data collection and reporting, including exploring a new national infection management audit to help systems identify key aspects of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infection. 9.6 While current budgets preclude comprehensive surveillance in healthy animals across all major animal species, Defra’s current prioritisation of monitoring pigs and poultry is appropriate, as pork and poultry are the most consumed meats in the UK. However, research and surveillance pilots in other species are underway. 9.7 The VMD’s work with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and academic partners on engagement with private veterinary laboratories to address gaps in clinical surveillance data on AMR is funded to the end of 2025–26. In parallel, VMD is developing novel AMR surveillance pilots in healthy animals, including new national projects targeting dogs, cats, and equines, stretching until 2029. Data from earlier AMR pilot studies continue to be analysed and shared across government to support One Health working. 9.8 The fourth UKHSA and VMD Joint UK One Health Report on AMR and antimicrobial use is also scheduled for publication in 2026.