The UK’s antimicrobial resistance response faces substantial barriers from the civil service’s structure, practices of governance, and churn

The UK’s civil service, often regarded as the best in the world, is weakened by austerity cuts, which have reduced resource departmental expenditure limits by over 16%. This has made the government vulnerable to more complex national challenges, particularly the grand pandemic of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and drug-resistant infections. The civil service has historically served as a talent pool for ministers transitioning into unfamiliar roles, but its understanding of AMR has been limited. The UK Government has developed tactical and strategic plans to combat AMR, but no comparable structures or mechanisms have been established. The Department of Health and Social Care, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are responsible for various aspects of AMR, leading to a disorganized and uncoordinated response. The UK Government should transfer responsibility for AMR to a minister with a dedicated portfolio, such as within the Cabinet Office, to ensure a more effective response to AMR.