In response to the National Audit Office (NAO) report, the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) calls urgently for improved diagnostic infrastructure and deployment to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) effectively.
The report reveals that while progress has been made in some areas of the UK Government’s AMR Action Plan, key targets – including the use of diagnostics to guide antibiotic prescribing – remain unmet.
The NAO report notes that the government met only one of five targets in the 2019 - 2024 action plan, falling short of the objective to reduce antibiotic usage by 15% by 2024. The report further highlights that, despite efforts to reduce antibiotic usage, prescribing levels in 2023 remained nearly the same as they were in 2018, following a significant rise in usage after a temporary decline in 2020 and 2021.
Helen Dent (pictured above), Chief Executive of BIVDA, said: "The NAO report shows the critical importance of diagnostics in the fight against AMR. The failure to meet the target for to record how the NHS is using diagnostics to inform antibiotic prescriptions is a clear signal that more investment in the infrastructure for diagnostics is needed.”
“Without the impact of diagnostic tests on prescribing decisions being adequately recorded the UK will continue to fail to meet its target to reduce antimicrobial resistant infections.”
The report also addresses a key target that remains unmet: creating a system to count the proportion of antibiotic prescriptions supported by diagnostic tests. This target has not been achieved due to ongoing issues with data collection and integration. The use of paper prescriptions, lack of standardised digital pathology systems, and the absence of a national diagnostic data repository continue to impede progress.
BIVDA advocates for urgent action to address these data limitations. The integration of diagnostic test results into electronic prescribing systems is seen as a vital step in reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions. Research has shown that increasing the use of diagnostic testing to guide antibiotic treatment can significantly reduce the volume of incorrect prescriptions, thus helping to slow the development of AMR.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England agree that improving data is a priority for the future, with a central repository for diagnostics data and improved linkage between test results and prescriptions being necessary to enhance decision-making.
Helen continued: "As the NAO report states, diagnostics are essential in enabling more accurate prescribing practices to tackle AMR. Achieving the targeted reductions in antibiotic use and resistance will only be possible with improved data systems and a test, where appropriate, before every prescription.”
"The government must prioritise the development of a national digital diagnostic infrastructure and ensure that diagnostic tests are available to all prescribers."
BIVDA remains committed to supporting efforts to enhance diagnostic capabilities and improve data-sharing across healthcare systems. The association urges the government to invest in both digital infrastructure and diagnostic technologies to ensure the UK’s continued progress in tackling AMR.