Highly Commended
A First-of-its-Kind Collaboration to Revamp UK Infection Management Policy
Summary of work
In 2020, the world began a new relationship with the term ‘infection’. As a deadly pandemic swept through homes, schools and workplaces, our healthcare systems, and the policymakers who led it, were being exposed. At the same time, the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was mounting and created a perfect storm that required unified and powerful action. In response, Hanover spearheaded a coalition to incite transformational policy change in the UK’s approach to infection management. This first-of-its-kind coalition comprises 14 partners including competing pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, alongside professional and charitable groups. A rallying call was issued in the form of a White Paper that set out the urgency of the infection management challenge in the UK and 29 recommendations to address it. The Paper was launched to media, achieving widespread top-tier coverage. We also hosted a parliamentary event that secured endorsement from the highest level of international and national policymakers including the World Health Organization, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP and other key health decision-makers. Meeting all current outputs and outcomes, the next challenge is implementation and UK policy change implementation, for which the coalition is forming a robust plan in early 2023.
Judges’ comments
Hanover and the Infection Management Coalition really had a good handle on the situation. They were very clear about the phasing and the blue print was extremely robust. It had remarkable feedback from top figures and coverage was impressive. The entry was ambitious and pragmatic and achieved a huge amount for the budget. Great traction and the judges liked that they’ve made it relevant and delivered a lot for a modest budget. To get that level of endorsement in a crisis, they were clearly doing something right.
