Source · National Audit Office

Investigation into how government is addressing antimicrobial resistance

Published: 26 Feb 2025 Recommendations: 6 Type: Value for Money NAO confirmed: 5 Department: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

A new report from the National Audit Office finds that government has made limited progress on combatting antimicrobial resistance.

Dept: Department for Environment, Food & Rural AffairsDepartment of Health and Social Care Topics: Health and social carePublic healthRisk and resilience nao.org.uk →

Recommendations

6 items

5 accepted 3 implemented 2 in progress 1 awaiting response

Rec	Recommendation	Addressee	Acceptance	Implementation
1	The government should consider how delivery of its current targets and commitments can be more successful than in NAP19?24, including through the use of strengthened performance monitoring and deadlines for implementation Ref Page 12, 24a · Implemented Q2 2025-26	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement; UK Health Security Agency	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
2	The government should consider whether targets for no increase in a range of human infections are stretching enough to make a contribution to the vision of reducing the burden of infection. Ref Page 12, 24b · Implemented Q3 2025/26	Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement; UK Health Security Agency	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
3	The government should consider how the results of the new NHS antibiotic subscription model will be tracked, evaluated and made public, including any effects on the research and development of new drugs. Ref Page 12, 24c · Implemented Q1 2026/27	Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement	Accepted	In progress ✓ NAO
4	The government should consider what the UK?s aquatic environment is currently contributing to rising AMR, particularly wastewater treatment and spills, and, as a result, whether new commitments or targets are needed in this area. Ref Page 12, 24d · Implemented Q3 2026-27	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Accepted	In progress ✓ NAO
5	The government should consider how maximum beneficial impact can be achieved from the classification of AMR as a chronic risk and whether there is value in publishing the government?s full list of chronic risks so that universities, funding bodies, businesses and other institutions can better understand the public sector?s priorities for research and innovation. Ref Page 12, 24e	Cabinet Office	Pending	—
6	The government should consider whether a national preparedness exercise with a significant AMR dimension should be carried out. Ref Page 12, 24f · Implemented Q4 2025-26	Cabinet Office; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement; UK Health Security Agency	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO