Introduction to the toolkit
UK-wide AMR health inequalities toolkit.
This toolkit has been co-developed through collaboration across all 4 UK nations as part of the UK’s National Action Plan (NAP) for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 2024 to 2029. It brings together contributions from national, regional and local partners to support organisations in identifying and addressing health inequalities related to AMR. The toolkit collates and signposts to existing resources to enable a coordinated, UK‑wide approach while remaining adaptable to local contexts.
National Action Plan for antimicrobial resistance 2024 to2029
The UK’s NAP for AMR 2024 to2029 sets out a coordinated strategy to:
- reduce infections
- optimise antimicrobial use
- drive innovation
- strengthen the UK’s global leadership in tackling AMR
It contributes to the long-term 2040 vision of containing and controlling AMR across human health, animal health and the environment.
Outcome 8 (health disparities and health inequalities) in the NAP “aims to improve the information available to identify where the burden of AMR is greatest. This will help to target future interventions where they will have the greatest impact”.
Commitment 8.2 states:
“We will collate cost-effective, evidence-based resources into a toolkit, adaptable to local needs, for identifying and addressing health inequalities in access, infection incidence, clinical outcomes, vaccine uptake and antimicrobial exposure. This will support organisations to develop interventions that address and do not exacerbate health inequalities.”
This commitment applies to improving outcomes for people and populations across the UK.
Development and collaboration
To deliver this commitment, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has worked closely with partners across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This collaborative approach ensures the toolkit reflects diverse expertise, existing practice, and the needs of different populations and health systems.
We are grateful to all individuals and organisations who contributed; a full list is provided in the Acknowledgements section.
We welcome ongoing collaboration. If you would like to suggest additional resources or provide feedback, please use the link in the Call for Evidence and Feedback section.
Purpose and use of the toolkit
This toolkit is intended as a practical guide to support organisations in identifying and addressing AMR-related health inequalities within the populations they serve. It:
- brings together existing resources and data sources
- summarises their key features
- signposts users to relevant materials
The aim is to help users identify resources that can be adapted to local needs and contexts.
The toolkit signposts to 86 resources across 3 sections:
- Data sources, dashboards and reports on AMR
- Resources
- Shared learning and case studies
A list of all the resources and additional information on each of these is available in the annexe workbook: Annexe NAP AMR Health Inequalities toolkit_v0.2.
Disclaimer
The resources included in this toolkit have been collated from existing sources and have not been independently reviewed or quality-assured by UKHSA or partner organisations. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement.
Users are responsible for assessing the suitability, accuracy and applicability of a resource before use, and for ensuring that its application within specific programmes or projects is appropriate and does not inadvertently exacerbate health inequalities.