Leading infection specialty organisations across the UK, including the Royal College of Pathologists, have launched a report Infection Prevention and Management in the UK: The Infection-Specialist Workforce calling for urgent action to support and strengthen and modernise the UK’s infection specialist workforce.  

Rising health threats of emerging pathogens, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and future pandemic risks – as well as growing pressure arising from patient complexity, increased use of immunosuppressive therapies, and an ageing population requires a long-term response plan. A strong and sustainable multidisciplinary infection-specialist workforce is essential to protecting both patients and the public. 

Dr Bernie Coral, President of the Royal College of Pathologists said:

"We are increasingly seeing infectious disease outbreaks that threaten our health and healthcare systems. Alongside rising rates of antimicrobial resistance, this presents an urgent and critical case for strengthening and expanding our infection specialist workforce. Investing in this workforce is essential to ensure we are equipped to prevent, detect and respond to current and future threats, safeguarding patient care and the resilience of our health services. 

This report sets out comprehensive and vital recommendations that would enable the infection specialist workforce to meet the challenges of preventing and managing infections while reducing the impact of antimicrobial resistance. Crucially it also highlights the need for accurate, time-critical diagnostic capabilities to support clinical decision making, be it in the hospital or in the community."

The report recommends reforms aligned with the NHS’s three strategic shifts: moving care from hospital to community, shifting focus from sickness to prevention, and accelerating the transition from analogue to digital systems. It outlines how infection expertise can be embedded across healthcare settings to improve patient outcomes, strengthen resilience, and increase cost-effectiveness throughout the UK health system. 

Infection specialists support clinical care, diagnostics, infection prevention and control (IPC), public health, and system leadership. The multidisciplinary workforce includes infectious disease physicians, clinical microbiologists, virologists, mycologists, parasitologists, infection-control specialists, specialist nurses, antimicrobial pharmacists, biomedical scientists, and clinical scientists. 

Workforce shortages across infection specialties are already widespread. Only 10% of members working in microbiology, virology and infectious disease who responded to the Royal College of Pathologists 2025 census reported that services were adequate and sustainable to meet demand. Only 16% reported that there were no current vacancies across all grades of staff in their departments.  

The report calls for investment in workforce development, digital innovation, and integrated multidisciplinary working. Embracing new technologies, improving data-sharing through networks, and supporting innovative team-based care will enable infection specialists to work more effectively and productively. 

Next steps

The College will use this report to continue to advocate for its members and the broader infection specialty workforce in line with the RCPath Workforce Strategy 2025–2028. 

Read Infection Prevention and Management in the UK: The Infection-Specialist Workforce