Infections can be caused by a range of microorganisms—including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and prions. These can result in a wide variety of infections, for example, urinary tract, wound, respiratory, blood, bone and skin infections.

While not all infections are contagious, some—such as Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile), SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and norovirus—can spread from one person to another. These infections can cause serious outbreaks, especially in hospitals, care homes and other healthcare settings.

Understanding how infections start, how different microorganisms behave, and how they spread is essential to preventing them—not just in healthcare, but in all settings where people receive care. 

We are actively involved in infection prevention issues and practice to support improvements in nursing practice and patient outcomes across the UK. Activity takes place on a national, regional and local level, ranging from representation at national forums, meetings, stakeholder events and site visits to members' workplaces.

Our work in the field of AMR is diverse and complements our IPC activity. We focus on the vital role nurses play in preventing infection and promoting responsible use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. We are proud to lead and influence this work both in the UK and internationally, as part of a wider health care effort in antimicrobial stewardship.

The UKHSA published its first annual report summarising latest infectious disease trends.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognised as a global health and economic threat that risks undermining commitments to achieving the UN Sustainability Goals (SDG).

Here you can find out more about the RCN’s approach to AMR and the work we are doing to support nursing and health care professionals.

AMR happens when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to the medicines used to treat them. As resistance grows, it becomes harder to treat infections, which could take us back to a time when even simple infections were life-threatening.

Nursing has a key role in supporting efforts to reduce this threat as a central part of the health care and public health workforce. Here at the RCN, our work is diverse to reflect the different ways in which nursing contributes within the UK and internationally to this global threat.

The nursing and midwifery contribution to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS)

We are proud to have contributed to the development of a competency framework (2021) to support antimicrobial stewardship and shape its current and future activity around the six domains of practice in association with higher education institutes (HEIs).

Led by Cardiff University the competencies provide a holistic approach to support nurses and other health care professionals on this topic. The six domains are:

• infection prevention and control
• antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance
• the diagnosis of infection and use of antibiotics
• antimicrobial prescribing practice
• person-centred care
• interprofessional collaborative practice. 

How to use the competencies

While the competencies are especially useful for students, they are also a valuable tool for those already working in roles such as:

• link nurses or infection control practitioners
• ward or department managers
• GP practice leads for infection prevention
• nursing home infection control leads. 

Read more about the Antimicrobial stewardship competency framework competencies. 

We are also involved in:

• Delivering the RCN IPC education programme, which uses the AMS competencies as a framework for learning.
• Being an active member of English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR). 

Further resources

• European Federation of Nurses Associations. EU nurses combating AMR.
• GOV.UK. ESPAUR annual report 2024: lay summary.
• GOV.UK. UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029.
• GOV.UK. UK Access, Watch, Reserve, and Other classification for antibiotics (UK-AWaRe antibiotic classification).
• European Center for Disease Control (ECDC).
• E-Bug.
• Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). Applying All Our Health.
• Public Health Scotland. Antimicrobial resistance one health.
• Public Health Wales. Antibiotic Awareness Campaign 2018.
• HSC Public Health Agency Northern Ireland. Antibiotic awareness.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported Notifications and GP consultations of scarlet fever in England are higher than normal for this point in the season, after remaining elevated later in the previous season than expected.

Influenza (flu) is a viral infection that primarily affects the lungs and can cause serious respiratory illness. It can also lead to secondary infections, such as pneumonia or sepsis, which can be life-threatening, especially for vulnerable individuals.

Vaccination is the most effective way to reduce the severity and spread of the flu. RCN members are strongly encouraged to stay up to date with their flu vaccinations.

For guidance on preventing the spread of flu in your workplace, please refer to your local infection prevention and control (IPC) policies.

The RCN risk assessment toolkit will support members to select the use of respiratory personal protective equipment in different scenarios.

Useful resources

• RCN position on vaccination (2022).
• UKHSA. Seasonal influenza: guidance, data and analysis.
• Public Health Wales. Flu vaccination and Flu resources for health and social care professionals.
• HSC Public Health Northern Ireland. Seasonal influenza (flu) guidance.
• Public Health Scotland. Influenza guidance.