MP campaigns for chronic UTI definition as costs hit £604m
Labour MP Dr Allison Gardner has lived with the condition for a decade and is pushing for improved diagnosis and treatment.
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Labour MP Dr Allison Gardner has spoken out about her decade-long struggle with chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs), highlighting the lack of a clear medical definition for the condition and its significant impact on patients and the NHS. Dr Gardner, who first experienced symptoms around the time of perimenopause, described the "searing pain" and the feeling of being "gaslighted" by medical professionals who did not always understand her condition.
The search for a definition
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According to the Chronic Urinary Tract Campaign (CUTIC), there is no official medical definition for chronic UTIs, a situation Dr Gardner is actively working to change. She is part of a cross-party group of MPs advocating for better understanding and treatment. The condition is characterised by persistent symptoms that do not clear with short antibiotic courses and can be difficult to diagnose due to low bacterial counts in urine samples. Dr Gardner stated that the pain is "like hot needles being inserted inside you and just burning, burning, burning."
The lack of a defined condition has led to patients feeling dismissed, with Dr Gardner recounting instances of being told to "wipe yourself better" and even advised to stop having sex by one consultant. She expressed that the constant need to fight for sensible treatment, rather than being labelled with anxiety or attention-seeking, was exhausting. The severity of her symptoms led her to consider drastic measures, including private surgery to have her bladder removed.
Expert panel and NHS costs
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Dr Cat Anderson, a GP specialising in complex UTI cases, is leading a medical expert panel that includes consultant urological surgeon Sachin Malde. This panel aims to establish an official definition for chronic UTIs by 2027, which will then be presented to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). NICE has previously recommended further research to build a stronger evidence base for chronic UTIs. NHS England confirmed that there is currently no national dataset specifically capturing chronic UTIs as a distinct diagnosis.
The financial burden of UTIs on the NHS is substantial. In 2023-24, UTIs accounted for 1.2 million hospital bed days, costing the health service over £604 million, as reported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Dr Ron Daniels, founder and chief medical officer of the UK Sepsis Trust, noted that an estimated 20% of all sepsis cases, which can be fatal, are believed to originate from the urinary tract.
Calls for improved patient care
Beyond establishing a definition, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), co-chaired by Dr Gardner and Liberal Democrat MP Luke Taylor, is calling for improved patient care. Their proposals include mandatory training for GPs on chronic UTIs and the introduction of a patient "passport" system to avoid repeated explanations of medical history. The group expressed disappointment that the government's women's health strategy did not mention UTIs. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated their commitment to reducing the impact of chronic UTIs and investing in research to ensure women are heard and receive high-quality care.
Questions this report answers
+What is a chronic UTI?
There is currently no official medical definition for chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). Generally, they are understood as infections where symptoms persist and do not resolve with short courses of antibiotics. A medical expert panel is working to establish a formal definition by 2027.
+How much do UTIs cost the NHS?
In the 2023-24 period, UTIs accounted for 1.2 million hospital bed days. This resulted in costs exceeding £604 million for hospitals and the NHS, highlighting the significant financial impact of these infections.
+What is being done to improve care for chronic UTIs?
An All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is campaigning for GPs to receive training on chronic UTIs and for a patient "passport" system to streamline medical history sharing. Experts are also working to define the condition to improve diagnosis and treatment pathways.
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