Ticking health timebomb looming over UK that's already hitting some patients

The last time you or a family member were prescribed antibiotics, did you consider what would happen if they didn't work? That is already the reality for some people, and it will become part of life for many more of us if we don't tackle antibiotic resistance now. Antibiotics have been the backbone of our ability to treat infections for more than a century: you go to the doctor or hospital and come away with a prescription for antibiotics that clears everything up in a few days.

Job done - but it's no longer quite as simple. Bacteria naturally become resistant to antibiotics. And this process is sped up by inappropriate use of the drugs by people and in animals and the environment. As a result, our arsenal of effective medicines is shrinking. UKHSA data shows that more and more infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics every year. In England, for instance, there were an estimated 66,720 serious antibiotic-resistant infections in 2023 - compared to 58,224 in 2022.

And older people are much more likely to be impacted. When we can't treat simple infections, they are more likely to spread to parts of the body like the bloodstream and impact multiple organs.

These sorts of infections can kill. In 2022, an estimated 2,202 deaths were directly attributed to antibioticresistant infections in England, an 4% increase on the previous year.

Globally, the figure was one million and could reach eight million by 2050. Tackling antibiotic resistance is a priority for the Government.

The most recent National Action Plan, launched in May 2024, commits the UK to restricting the unnecessary use of antibiotics in humans and animals, strengthening the surveillance of drug-resistant infections and incentivising industry to develop the next generation of treatments.

World-leading experts, scientists and clinicians are urgently working to discover new interventions, implement infection prevention to reduce the need for antibiotics in the first place, and search for new antibiotics or alternatives.

However, this problem cannot just be left to the scientists. Indeed, it's one of the biggest misconceptions in the fight against antibiotic resistance that individuals can't do anything. Research by UKHSA shows that, while nearly half of Britons are concerned, many either incorrectly believe there's nothing they can do or aren't sure what they can do.

UKHSA is addressing this and other misconceptions about taking antibiotics in our latest campaign to keep antibiotics working. Through our mascot, 'Andi Biotic', we're on a mission to answer people's questions about when and how to take antibiotics - to help preserve their effectiveness for us today and future generations.

This includes not taking antibiotics for colds and flu, which they don't work for, yet remains one of the biggest misconceptions; only taking antibiotics when prescribed and taking them as directed by a health professional - if not, they may not be effective, and you may be using them in a way that gives bacteria opportunities to build their resistance; and not saving antibiotics for future use - they're unlikely to be effective and you'll be contributing to the risk of resistance.

These are the simple steps and, even if they're already familiar, sharing them with others helps raise awareness. Using antibiotics responsibly yourself doesn't eliminate the risk - infections can spread from others. That's why it is vital for everyone to take action. The other key way to tackle antibiotic resistance is to reduce infections in the first place.

Getting all vaccinations, regular handwashing, and taking steps to avoid UTIs can all cut the risk of infection - antibiotic resistant or otherwise. Quite simply, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to our current and future health. But if we follow these simple steps, we can help protect our communities and future generations.

Everyone including healthcare professionals, members of the public and scientists can find out more and choose a pledge about how they wish to personally contribute to tackling antibiotic resistance via

Professor Diane Ashiru Oredope is Lead Pharmacist for antimicrobial resistance at UKHSA