Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has commissioned on the use of on-the-spot testing for infections and the effect of this on the use of antibiotics.

The Department recently commissioned a review of diagnostics in use or in development for point-of-care testing for infectious disease. This will support the development of better antibiotic prescribing practice. The review has been carried out by the University of Oxford. The report has now been received by the Department and publication plans are being developed.

The National Institute for Health Research is funding a £1.4 million study of primary care use of a C-Reactive Protein point-of-care test to help target antibiotic prescribing to patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are most likely to benefit. The report is expected to be published in February 2018.