About the programme

It can be challenging to diagnose urinary tract infections (UTIs) in older people. This can often result in patients being misdiagnosed and over-treated for UTI; leading to risk of harm from inappropriate antibiotic use, without clinical benefit¹.

NICE has published quality standards whereby adults aged 65 years and over should have a full clinical assessment before a diagnosis of UTI is made². This aligns with our current project whereby we are working with the UK Health Security Agency to develop a UTI decision tool for use in residential care homes for older adults.

We hope this will improve the diagnosis and management of UTI in this setting and support some of the key aims set out in the UK 5 Year National Action Plan to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance. This includes the ambition to reduce healthcare-associated gram-negative bloodstream infections and enhance accurate and timely UTI diagnosis³.

Project Ambitions

The WMAHSN aims to support with raising awareness of opportunities such as:

• Joining the project working group
• Participating in focus groups
• Piloting of the tool

References

1. RightCare Focus Pack – Urinary Tract Infection (2020). Available at: https://future.nhs.uk/NationalRightCare/view?objectId=114682917Date Accessed: 21/7/22
2. QS90 Urinary tract infections in adults (2015). Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs90/chapter/Quality-statement-1-Diagnosing-urinary-tract-infections-in-adults-aged-65-years-and-overDate Accessed: 21/7/22
3. Tackling antimicrobial resistance 2019 to 2024: addendum to the UK’s 5-year national action plan (2022). Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/addendum-to-the-uk-5-year-action-plan-for-antimicrobial-resistance-2019-to-2024/tackling-antimicrobial-resistance-2019-to-2024-addendum-to-the-uks-5-year-national-action-planDate Accessed 28/7/22