RCP responds to chief medical officer’s annual report 2025 on infections

Professor Mumtaz Patel, RCP president, and Dr Sarah Logan, chair of the RCP Joint Specialty Committee for Infectious Diseases, said: 

‘We welcome this important report on infections from the chief medical officer for England.

‘What comes through clearly is the need for a whole-system approach. Managing infections is everyone’s role – from public health and primary care to acute and tertiary services. No single part of the system can do this alone.

‘The UK’s infection workforce is inherently multi-professional and multidisciplinary. Infection specialists (including infectious disease and tropical medicine physicians), microbiologists, virologists, immunologists, clinical scientists, pharmacists, nurses and other allied health professionals who work together every day to prevent, diagnose and treat infections across the UK and around the world.

‘Infection specialists also play a critical role in research and innovation, from antimicrobial stewardship to vaccine development, and in preparing the system for future pandemics. They are central to training the wider workforce – ensuring that every clinician, in every setting, has the skills to manage infection safely, effectively and equitably for all patient populations.

‘We look forward to going through the report in further detail and to working closely with partners across the health system to turn these ambitions into practical action.’