title: Twenty-first-century medical microbiology services in the UK.
abstract: With infection once again a high priority for the UK National Health Service (NHS), the medical microbiology and infection-control services require increased technology resources and more multidisciplinary staff. Clinical care and health protection need a coordinated network of microbiology services working to consistent standards, provided locally by NHS Trusts and supported by the regional expertise and national reference laboratories of the new Health Protection Agency. Here, I outline my thoughts on the need for these new resources and the ways in which clinical microbiology services in the UK can best meet the demands of the twenty-first century.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Infection Control at the Department of Health, 644B Skipton House, London SE1 6LH, UK. brian.duerden@dh.gsi.gov.uk
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duerden
mesh_terms: D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D017053:Infection Control / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D016357:Infection Control Practitioners / Q000600:supply & distribution; D007753:Laboratories / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D008829:Microbiology / Q000639:trends*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D000078329:Workforce