Overview
- National surveillance shows bacteraemia from antibiotic‑resistant pathogens rose from 18,740 cases in 2023 to 20,484 in 2024.
- Estimated deaths in people with resistant infections increased by 338 year on year to 2,379, with nearly 400 new resistant infections reported weekly on average.
- ESPAUR data indicate E. coli accounted for 65% of resistant bloodstream infections over the past six years.
- Between 2019 and 2024, NHS primary‑care antibiotic use fell slightly while private dispensing more than doubled, driving a 10.7% overall rise and leaving 22% of 2024 community antibiotics supplied privately.
- Older adults and people in deprived communities shoulder the greatest burden, as UKHSA’s Susan Hopkins and Health Minister Zubir Ahmed urge responsible antibiotic use and uptake of vaccines.