New data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has revealed that treating urinary tract infections (UTIs) cost NHS hospitals in England an estimated £604 million in 2023-24.
Analysing data using the records of patients with a UTI-related primary diagnosis for the 2023 to 2024 financial year in England found there were nearly 200,000 UTI-related patients. This includes infections acquired in both community and hospital settings. Those admissions resulted in 1.2 million bed days, averaging 6 bed days per infection.
However, one-third of UTI patients were in hospital for less than a day, indicating that other treatment pathways could be considered for these patients.
The findings reflect the well-documented burden of UTIs on older people and women. 52.7% of admissions were patients aged over 70 and 61.8% were female. While females were nearly 5 times more likely to require hospital treatment for a UTI in people under 50 years old (24.7% female compared to 5.3% male), this levelled out in age groups over 50 (37.1% female compared to 32.9% male). This highlights the need for men over 50 to also pay early attention to urinary symptoms and seek treatment that may prevent hospitalisation.
Hospitalisations for UTIs were at their lowest in 2020 to 2021 – possibly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, admissions have increased, climbing by 9% in 2023 to 2024 compared to the previous year.
Responding to the news, Professor Matt Inada-Kim, National Clinical Director for Infections Management and Antimicrobial Resistance at NHS England, stated that it is important that the NHS does all it can to manage AMR through prevention, education and the provision of easy access to healthcare, including the utilisation of diagnostic tests.
BIVDA members have pioneered innovations which can rapidly identify UTIs and the most appropriate antibiotic for treatment, therefore reducing the likelihood of hospitalisation and saving NHS funds. We will continue to work with stakeholders in the NHS and other relevant bodies to push for the adoption of these tests in community settings, as promised by the NHS 10-Year Plan.
