We’re really excited to bring you our new Antibiotic Research UK Strategy for 2021 – 2025.
The formation of our charity in 2014 arose from discussions amongst academic researchers and scientists / clinicians. Each were working in the pharmaceutical industry, all with an interest in antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. This group felt the problem of drug-resistant infections was not getting enough attention or funding. The original aim of the charity was to raise funds from the public to conduct research into finding new antibiotic treatments. We commission our own research and offer small grants to academic institutions. Details of our successes can be found on our website and in previous newsletters.
As the years passed, the charity was increasingly being contacted for advice and information from patients or their relatives about their drug-resistant infection. The point was reached where the charity made the decision to provide support to this community through providing Patient Support services.
Thinking about the next five years of the charity’s evolution, we were approached in 2020 by the healthcare consultancy Costello Medical, who wanted to provide some support to the charity pro bono. We were delighted to receive this offer! We agreed that assistance in putting together our next Five Year Strategy would be of immense benefit to us. It was important that the Strategy should be evidence based and therefore a bottom up approach was taken in which we asked stakeholders about their views about drug resistance and how our charity was perceived. Nearly 800 people surveyed responded including 1) 500 members of the public representing the UK demographic 2) 120 charity supporters and 3) some 90 researchers active in the field.
From the wealth of data collected a vision and mission statement was prepared which is set out below.
Views on antibiotic resistance given by a representative sample of the population
Vision:
A world free from deaths caused by drug-resistant infections
Mission:
To tackle the global threat of drug-resistant infections by:
- Driving and enabling innovative and collaborative research to ensure future generations have access to effective treatments.
- Supporting patients and families that are affected by drug-resistant infections.
- Working in partnership with key stakeholders to raise awareness and reduce the spread of drug-resistant infections.
From the above mission statement three strategic goals were formulated;
1 – drive forward innovative solutions to drug-resistant infections
2 – improve the lives of patients with drug-resistant infections and their families
3 – raise awareness about the impact of drug-resistant infections
As a result of the strategic review, we wanted to make some changes. The Trustees agreed that some rebalancing both of the charity’s focus and what it funded was needed. The charity going forward would seek to spend 60% of its income on goal 1. The remaining 40% will be split between goals 2 and 3. In addition collaboration opportunities should be sought so that funds raised by the charity could be leveraged with funds raised from other parties.
We will at the end of each year of the Strategy conduct an audit of our progress towards achieving these goals.
We cannot implement our new Five Year strategy without funds. Please help us save the world from drug-resistant infections. Make a DONATION however big or small.