All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are cross-party groups formed by members of parliament (MPs) and Members of the House of Lords who share a common interest in a particular area, region or country.
The APPG on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) consists of parliamentarians with varied professional backgrounds from public and veterinarian health to infectious diseases and planetary health. The APPG on AMR includes a member of the armed forces, as well as a survivor of sepsis. The APPG is organised and supported by The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC).
While APPGs do not have an official status within parliament, the APPG on AMR can be an excellent mechanism to build networks and connect with relevant people in government who are committed to tackling AMR. The APPG on AMR provides a valuable forum for well-informed discussions between parliamentarians and researchers about latest evidence, findings and potential solutions.
Membership
The following are Officers of the APPG on AMR:
- Dr Beccy Cooper MP (Labour), Chair of the group and a Public Health Consultant.
- Lord Mackinlay (Conservative), Co-Chair of the group
- Danny Chambers MP (Lib Dem), Secretary of the group who is a veterinarian with an MSc in Infectious Disease Control.
- Baroness Bennett (Green), Treasurer for the group and a former Green Party Leader.
Additional Members of the Group include:
- Lord Ara Darzi, author of the recent independent investigation of the NHS in England.
- Jeremy Hunt MP and former Health Secretary.
- Lord Browne, former Defence Secretary and former MP of Kilmarnock & Loudoun.
- Richard Foord MP, a former British Army officer.
- Sadik Al-Hassan MP, an award-winning local pharmacist.
Rhian Foley, Public Affairs Lead, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy said, “We're thrilled to introduce the newly established All-Party Parliamentary Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. With an integrated, cross-sector approach, we’re determined to make AMR a political priority and ensure the UK remains at the forefront of this critical fight. We look forward to engaging with academic experts, clinicians and industry leaders to tackle this global challenge.”
L-R: Rhian Foley, BSAC’s Public Affairs Lead, Lord Browne, former Defence Secretary and former MP of Kilmarnock & Loudoun, Beccy Cooper MP (Labour), Chair of the APPG on AMR and Dr Nick Brown, BSAC’s Director of Professional and Public Engagement. Photo credit: BSAC
Focus areas
Integrating AMR priorities into the broader context of NHS reform and the 10-year Health Plan to address these critical issues effectively will be an overarching theme for the work of the AMR APPG in 2025.
Other focus areas are likely to be:
- Diagnostics and Women's Health: Emphasising the importance of improved diagnostic tools, particularly for urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- Global and National Security: Framing AMR as a national and global security threat to garner attention from policymakers and defence sectors.
- AMR National Action Plans: Ensuring accountability for the delivery of the UK’s National Action Plan on AMR and supporting the implementation of national action plans in other countries.
Engaging with the APPG on AMR
If you would like to stay up to date with BSAC and the work of the APPG on ARM, then sign up for BSAC’s monthly Transmission newsletter.
If you have a particular interest or expertise in the areas outlined above, please write to amrnetwork@ineosoxford.ox.ac.uk.
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