Resistant infections rise as private antibiotic dispensing doubles

Last year saw almost 400 new cases of antibiotic-resistant infections reported each week in England, according to new data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Figures show that 20,484 cases of resistant bacteraemia – where bacteria enter the bloodstream – were recorded in 2024, representing a 9.3% increase on the previous year.

The number of deaths linked to resistant infections also rose, from 2,041 in 2023 to 2,379 in 2024.

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Most bloodstream infections over the past six years have been caused by E. coli, which also commonly causes urinary tract infections. Adults over the age of 45 remain most at risk, with nearly half of all cases in 2024 affecting people aged 75 and over.

UKHSA’s annual English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR) report also includes data from the Pharmacy First service for the first time, alongside other primary care services, including general practice and dentistry.

The majority of antibiotics prescribed in 2024 were in primary care (79.6%), with Pharmacy First accounting for 4%. Antibiotic prescribing in general practice and dentistry remain below 2019 levels.

Overall, antibiotic use within the NHS was 2% lower in 2024 than in 2019. However, antibiotic dispensing by private providers more than doubled between 2019 and 2024, accounting for 22% of all primary care antibiotic use last year, leading to a 10.7% rise in total primary care use across both sectors.

Dr Nicola Rose, interim executive director of science and research at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said: 'With resistance increasing and patterns of antibiotic use changing, it’s more important than ever to strengthen how we detect and track emerging threats.

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'Together with the UKHSA, we are using real world data from hospitals, GPs, pharmacies and the environment to spot new risks early and act on them quickly. We are also collaborating with regulators worldwide to support safe and timely access to new treatments.'

The report also shows widening inequality in outcomes. People living in the most deprived areas had a 47% higher rate of antibiotic-resistant bacteraemia than those in the least deprived – up from a 29% difference in 2019.

According to Professor Susan Hopkins, chief executive of UKHSA, antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest health threats facing the UK.

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‘More people than ever are acquiring infections that cannot be effectively treated by antibiotics,’ she said. ‘This puts them at greater risk of serious illness and even death, with our poorest communities hit the hardest.’

Earlier this year it was suggested that the majority of community pharmacies are being asked for unnecessary antibiotics 'at least once a day'.