Urine Trouble: Why A Diagnostic Standard Is Overdue
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If prevention is better than cure then why is the nation’s health being put at risk through high rates of contaminated urine specimens? Urine is relied upon to diagnose myriad medical conditions and the connection between the increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), UTIs, Sepsis and other life-threatening medical conditions is clear.
The continuing emergence and spread of AMR is a real threat to healthcare; antibiotic prescribing and use, both in hospitals and primary care, is the main driver.
The report, “Preventing healthcare associated gram-negative bacterial blood infections” was issued by Public Health England and NHS Improvement in May this year. It cites untreated UTIs as responsible for 47% of gram-negative blood infections of e-coli, which can lead to sepsis – and even death.
Treating a UTI relies on accurate urine specimen collection as outlined by PHE UK Standards for Microbiology Investigation of Urine 2017, but today contamination rates are running as high as 70% with the national average being 22.5%. Evidence suggest that UTIs are also responsible for the second highest rate of Out of Hours GP visits.
This means that of the 65m urine specimens collected every year, over 14m samples will lead to failed diagnosis and inadequate/inaccurate treatment for patients, or demand retests and costly resources. During this year’s Forum for instance, over 28,000 urine specimens will be provided by patients, of which more than 6,000 will be contaminated.
The Forum will explore the importance of accurate urine specimens across healthcare and the causes behind the contamination rates, with leading expert presentations from across Urology, Microbiology, Obstetrics and Economics. Audience and panel will then debate the benefits that adoption of a gold standard urine collection procedure will bring to laboratory services, infection control, cancelled surgery procedures, cost savings and essential NHS resources.
The full programme and list of speakers will be published shortly but includes:
- Philip Howard, NHS Improvement HCAI and AMR Project Lead, Consultant Antimicrobial Pharmacist, Leeds Teaching Hospitals
- Professor Frank Chinegwundoh MBE, Consultant Urological Surgeon, Barts Health NHS Trust
- Professor Trevor Williams, Economist and Professor at University of Derby
- Rachel Cashman, Managing Director of The Soircas Consultancy, and former Head of Clinical and Scientific Policy and Strategy, NHS England
- Louise de Winter, Chief Executive, The Urology Foundation
- Susannah Fraser, Expert Patient, Bladder Health UK
- Alison Taylor, CUTIC
Findings from recent UK and US clinical studies on alternative collection devices will also be presented.
This free event is relevant to primary health-care providers, NHS Trusts and CCGs, public healthcare bodies, private healthcare providers, health and medical charities and patient associations.
If you have any queries, please contact forum@forte-medical.com.
This event is part of Urology Awareness Month and is in association with The Urology Foundation and ABHI
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