Written questions by Wrigley.

Whether he plans to periodically review NHS AI models to ensure continued alignment with (a) data protection and (b) clinical safety standards.

There are strict safeguards in place throughout the National Health Service to protect data. All providers of services which handle patient data must protect that data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, and every health organisation is required to appoint a Caldicott Guardian to advise on the protection of people’s health and care data, and to ensure that it is used properly. This includes where artificial intelligence (AI) is used in relation to patient records. The Information Commissioners Office has developed detailed AI guidance which provides an overarching view of data protection, including the need for Data Protection Impact Assessments and to ensure compliance with UK GDPR. They have also produced an AI toolkit to support organisations auditing compliance of their AI-based technologies. NHS bodies are expected to make use of this guidance and toolkit. The NHS has published two clinical risk management standards relating to clinical safety, with the codes DCB0129 and DCB0160, both of which are applicable to AI. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, manufacturers of health IT systems and health organisations that deploy and use these systems must have regard to these standards. In line with current Data Coordination Board practice, each standard comprises of: a specification, which defines the requirements and conformance criteria to be met by the user of the standard, and with the user responsible for how these requirements are met; and implementation guidance, which provides an interpretation of the requirements and, where appropriate, defines possible approaches to achieving them.

What steps he is taking to support people with bladder and bowel control conditions in Devon.

All providers in Devon are asked to follow the formulary within the services they provide. The formulary provides information on continence care, with further information available at the following two links: https://southwest.devonformularyguidance.nhs.uk/formulary/chapters/18-continence https://northeast.devonformularyguidance.nhs.uk/formulary/chapters/18-continence As part of focused work in gynaecology, NHS Devon is in a project development phase to design and implement improved pathways for women with stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder conditions. Livewell Southwest provides a continence service, offering assessments to adults, those aged 17.5 years old and above, living in Plymouth, West Devon, and South Hams. Livewell provides a holistic continence assessment, including routine observations, bladder scans, and skin integrity checks, as well as reviewing past medical history, medication, mobility, carer support, and diet and fluid. They offer ongoing support and products for any bowel and/or bladder issues that are identified and may refer patients to specialist nurses for further support or district nurses for ongoing care. Conservative advice is always given as first line management options during assessments, such as pelvic floor exercises for stress urinary incontinence, or bladder training and fluid intake advice for an overactive bladder. Livewell also liaises with general practices to request medication and to request ongoing referrals to secondary care specialists if needed. Livewell works closely with the other community teams. All patients are offered an annual reassessment. For children and young people, there is a team of specialist children’s nurses and specialist nursery nurses who provide assessment, treatment, support, and advice for children and young people with bladder and/or bowel difficulties. They provide continence promotion, and healthy bladder and bowel advice for children with additional needs. They see and assess children who are eligible for continence products because of a learning or physical disability.Devon has commissioned a paediatric integrated community nurse led bladder and bowel service for children and young people up to the age of 19 years old, to improve quality of life, to support effective self-management where appropriate, and to prevent chronic conditions developing and needing treatment or surgery in secondary care where possible.

What contracts their Department has with Palantir.

Details of Government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force on 24 February 2025, are published on the Central Digital Platform’s Find a Tender service.

If he will bring forward legislative proposals to make the NHS Accessible Information Standard legally enforceable.

The revised Accessible Information Standard (AIS) was published on 1 July, and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/accessible-information-standard/NHS England is working to support implementation of the AIS with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and a review of the current e-learning modules on the AIS. The intention is to ensure that staff and organisations in the National Health Service are aware of the AIS and the importance of meeting the information and communication needs of disabled people using services.Since 2016, all NHS organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the AIS, which details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss.The responsibility for monitoring compliance with the AIS sits with the commissioner of the service.The revised standard requires those staff in relevant communication and information roles to be adequately trained. The AIS conformance criteria, published in 2016 and updated in June 2025, set out how organisations should comply with the AIS. NHS England is leading a system wide review of mandatory training which will include a new governance framework and a table of statutory obligations as well as a new competency framework setting out all nationally mandated subjects and learning outcomes.Following the commencement of regulations made under the Health and Care Act 2022, mandatory information standards will be introduced in a staged process. NHS England will consider the case for developing a mandatory AIS standard, and the timing for this, along with the other existing standards.

If he will take steps to make (a) the NHS Accessible Information Standard and (b) deaf awareness training mandatory for NHS staff.

The revised Accessible Information Standard (AIS) was published on 1 July, and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/accessible-information-standard/NHS England is working to support implementation of the AIS with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and a review of the current e-learning modules on the AIS. The intention is to ensure that staff and organisations in the National Health Service are aware of the AIS and the importance of meeting the information and communication needs of disabled people using services.Since 2016, all NHS organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the AIS, which details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss.The responsibility for monitoring compliance with the AIS sits with the commissioner of the service.The revised standard requires those staff in relevant communication and information roles to be adequately trained. The AIS conformance criteria, published in 2016 and updated in June 2025, set out how organisations should comply with the AIS. NHS England is leading a system wide review of mandatory training which will include a new governance framework and a table of statutory obligations as well as a new competency framework setting out all nationally mandated subjects and learning outcomes.Following the commencement of regulations made under the Health and Care Act 2022, mandatory information standards will be introduced in a staged process. NHS England will consider the case for developing a mandatory AIS standard, and the timing for this, along with the other existing standards.

If he will take steps to ensure that the NHS Accessible Information Standard is (a) prioritised and (b) fully implemented.

The revised Accessible Information Standard (AIS) was published on 1 July, and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/accessible-information-standard/NHS England is working to support implementation of the AIS with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and a review of the current e-learning modules on the AIS. The intention is to ensure that staff and organisations in the National Health Service are aware of the AIS and the importance of meeting the information and communication needs of disabled people using services.Since 2016, all NHS organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the AIS, which details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss.The responsibility for monitoring compliance with the AIS sits with the commissioner of the service.The revised standard requires those staff in relevant communication and information roles to be adequately trained. The AIS conformance criteria, published in 2016 and updated in June 2025, set out how organisations should comply with the AIS. NHS England is leading a system wide review of mandatory training which will include a new governance framework and a table of statutory obligations as well as a new competency framework setting out all nationally mandated subjects and learning outcomes.Following the commencement of regulations made under the Health and Care Act 2022, mandatory information standards will be introduced in a staged process. NHS England will consider the case for developing a mandatory AIS standard, and the timing for this, along with the other existing standards.

Whether his Department has considered mandating UK-based technology providers for the management of NHS data.

In accordance with United Kingdom procurement law, legally established and eligible suppliers cannot be excluded from bidding in a procurement to deliver a contract. Contracts may specify arrangements for how and where data can be stored. The Procurement Act 2023 has introduced a power for the Government to exclude suppliers from public sector contracts if they pose a national security risk.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21470 on Hospices: Charitable Donations, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the proposed funding increase for hospice care.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. The funding will help hospices to provide the best end of life care to patients and their families in a supportive and dignified physical environment.We are also providing £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the children and young people’s hospice grant.Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding from integrated care boards (ICBs) for providing National Health Services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area, but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative care and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.We are also working to make sure the palliative and end of life care sector is sustainable in the long term and are determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community through our 10-Year Health Plan.

Whether contracts awarded to Palantir Technologies Inc. for NHS data infrastructure permit cross-border data sharing without UK regulatory approval.

In awarding the contract for the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP), NHS England made an assessment of the cyber risk and the protections offered by each bidder. The FDP has extensive security arrangements in place to manage cyber risk, including: strong network security, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor all network traffic to and from the platform, which helps to block unauthorised access and detect suspicious activity;data encryption, as all data stored on the platform is encrypted, both when it’s being transferred, or in transit, and when it’s at rest, or stored on servers; andregular security testing, as the platform undergoes regular penetration testing and vulnerability scanning to identify and fix any weaknesses in its security. It is a contractual requirement that personal data stored in the FDP and its associated services (FDP-AS), including the NHS-Privacy Enhancing Technology, cannot be accessed by the provider’s own personnel or contractors from outside the United Kingdom. The FDP-AS contract stipulates that all data must be held within the UK and is subject to UK Data Protection Law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation. All FDP data processes and systems need to comply with the Technology Code of Practice, Government Data Standards, the Department’s Guide to good practice for digital and data-driven health technologies, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Information Commissioner's Office’s guidance, and associated regulations, standards, and guidance.The contract was awarded in conformance with public sector procurement law, as required. The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise. The choice of preferred supplier was not made by a single person, as it was the result of assessment by many different individuals. NHS England has a duty to treat all suppliers the same regardless of the public perception of any organisation, or the opinions held by any of their shareholders.NHS England cannot exclude any supplier that is lawfully established and able to bid from participating in the procurement. The procurement process received external validation from multiple Government departments, as well as independent evaluations by Infrastructure and Projects Authority reviewers. There were no identified security concerns in relation to the contract awarded for the NHS FDP.The Procurement Act 2023 has introduced new powers to exclude and debar suppliers from public sector contracts if they pose a national security risk. Cabinet Office has established the new National Security Unit for Procurement, which is responsible for investigating suppliers on national security grounds, both within the Government supply chain and for the wider public sector.

Whether his Department has made a cyber risk assessment of the use of Palantir’s software in centralised NHS data platforms.

In awarding the contract for the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP), NHS England made an assessment of the cyber risk and the protections offered by each bidder. The FDP has extensive security arrangements in place to manage cyber risk, including: strong network security, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor all network traffic to and from the platform, which helps to block unauthorised access and detect suspicious activity;data encryption, as all data stored on the platform is encrypted, both when it’s being transferred, or in transit, and when it’s at rest, or stored on servers; andregular security testing, as the platform undergoes regular penetration testing and vulnerability scanning to identify and fix any weaknesses in its security. It is a contractual requirement that personal data stored in the FDP and its associated services (FDP-AS), including the NHS-Privacy Enhancing Technology, cannot be accessed by the provider’s own personnel or contractors from outside the United Kingdom. The FDP-AS contract stipulates that all data must be held within the UK and is subject to UK Data Protection Law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation. All FDP data processes and systems need to comply with the Technology Code of Practice, Government Data Standards, the Department’s Guide to good practice for digital and data-driven health technologies, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Information Commissioner's Office’s guidance, and associated regulations, standards, and guidance.The contract was awarded in conformance with public sector procurement law, as required. The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise. The choice of preferred supplier was not made by a single person, as it was the result of assessment by many different individuals. NHS England has a duty to treat all suppliers the same regardless of the public perception of any organisation, or the opinions held by any of their shareholders.NHS England cannot exclude any supplier that is lawfully established and able to bid from participating in the procurement. The procurement process received external validation from multiple Government departments, as well as independent evaluations by Infrastructure and Projects Authority reviewers. There were no identified security concerns in relation to the contract awarded for the NHS FDP.The Procurement Act 2023 has introduced new powers to exclude and debar suppliers from public sector contracts if they pose a national security risk. Cabinet Office has established the new National Security Unit for Procurement, which is responsible for investigating suppliers on national security grounds, both within the Government supply chain and for the wider public sector.

What due diligence steps his Department takes to assess national security risks before awarding public health data contracts to firms with links to (a) foreign intelligence or (b) military operations.

In awarding the contract for the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP), NHS England made an assessment of the cyber risk and the protections offered by each bidder. The FDP has extensive security arrangements in place to manage cyber risk, including: strong network security, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor all network traffic to and from the platform, which helps to block unauthorised access and detect suspicious activity;data encryption, as all data stored on the platform is encrypted, both when it’s being transferred, or in transit, and when it’s at rest, or stored on servers; andregular security testing, as the platform undergoes regular penetration testing and vulnerability scanning to identify and fix any weaknesses in its security. It is a contractual requirement that personal data stored in the FDP and its associated services (FDP-AS), including the NHS-Privacy Enhancing Technology, cannot be accessed by the provider’s own personnel or contractors from outside the United Kingdom. The FDP-AS contract stipulates that all data must be held within the UK and is subject to UK Data Protection Law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation. All FDP data processes and systems need to comply with the Technology Code of Practice, Government Data Standards, the Department’s Guide to good practice for digital and data-driven health technologies, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Information Commissioner's Office’s guidance, and associated regulations, standards, and guidance.The contract was awarded in conformance with public sector procurement law, as required. The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise. The choice of preferred supplier was not made by a single person, as it was the result of assessment by many different individuals. NHS England has a duty to treat all suppliers the same regardless of the public perception of any organisation, or the opinions held by any of their shareholders.NHS England cannot exclude any supplier that is lawfully established and able to bid from participating in the procurement. The procurement process received external validation from multiple Government departments, as well as independent evaluations by Infrastructure and Projects Authority reviewers. There were no identified security concerns in relation to the contract awarded for the NHS FDP.The Procurement Act 2023 has introduced new powers to exclude and debar suppliers from public sector contracts if they pose a national security risk. Cabinet Office has established the new National Security Unit for Procurement, which is responsible for investigating suppliers on national security grounds, both within the Government supply chain and for the wider public sector.

What assessment he has made of the security implications of awarding NHS data management contracts to (a) Palantir Technologies Inc. and (b) other companies with significant overseas (i) defence and (ii) intelligence clients.

In awarding the contract for the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP), NHS England made an assessment of the cyber risk and the protections offered by each bidder. The FDP has extensive security arrangements in place to manage cyber risk, including: strong network security, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor all network traffic to and from the platform, which helps to block unauthorised access and detect suspicious activity;data encryption, as all data stored on the platform is encrypted, both when it’s being transferred, or in transit, and when it’s at rest, or stored on servers; andregular security testing, as the platform undergoes regular penetration testing and vulnerability scanning to identify and fix any weaknesses in its security. It is a contractual requirement that personal data stored in the FDP and its associated services (FDP-AS), including the NHS-Privacy Enhancing Technology, cannot be accessed by the provider’s own personnel or contractors from outside the United Kingdom. The FDP-AS contract stipulates that all data must be held within the UK and is subject to UK Data Protection Law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation. All FDP data processes and systems need to comply with the Technology Code of Practice, Government Data Standards, the Department’s Guide to good practice for digital and data-driven health technologies, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Information Commissioner's Office’s guidance, and associated regulations, standards, and guidance.The contract was awarded in conformance with public sector procurement law, as required. The National Health Service ran an independent procurement exercise. The choice of preferred supplier was not made by a single person, as it was the result of assessment by many different individuals. NHS England has a duty to treat all suppliers the same regardless of the public perception of any organisation, or the opinions held by any of their shareholders.NHS England cannot exclude any supplier that is lawfully established and able to bid from participating in the procurement. The procurement process received external validation from multiple Government departments, as well as independent evaluations by Infrastructure and Projects Authority reviewers. There were no identified security concerns in relation to the contract awarded for the NHS FDP.The Procurement Act 2023 has introduced new powers to exclude and debar suppliers from public sector contracts if they pose a national security risk. Cabinet Office has established the new National Security Unit for Procurement, which is responsible for investigating suppliers on national security grounds, both within the Government supply chain and for the wider public sector.

What steps he has taken to ensure that NHS data handled by Palantir Technologies cannot be accessed or processed by non-UK government entities.

The NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) has been designed with stringent safeguards to ensure that patient data is protected in full compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.Access to National Health Service health and social care data within the FDP is tightly controlled. Only authorised users are granted access, and solely for approved purposes that demonstrably benefit patient care or NHS operations. Palantir Technologies, as the software provider, operates strictly under the instruction of NHS England. They do not control the data, nor are they permitted to access, use, or share it for any independent purpose. To further strengthen data protection, the FDP incorporates advanced Privacy Enhancing Technology (NHS-PET), which has been procured from a separate supplier to ensure independence and to mitigate any potential conflicts of interest. This technology ensures that data is processed in a secure and privacy-preserving manner. The contract with Palantir Technologies includes robust confidentiality clauses and is governed by a comprehensive oversight framework. This framework includes regular audits, monitoring, and reporting to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards. Data Protection Impact Assessments have been conducted to assess and mitigate any risks to individual rights and freedoms.It is a contractual requirement that personal data stored in the FDP and NHS-PET cannot be accessed by its provider’s personnel or contractors based outside the United Kingdom. In accordance with GDPR principles of transparency and accountability, NHS England has published details which outline how data is protected, who can access it, and under what conditions. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/overarching-data-protection-impact-assessment-dpia-for-the-federated-data-platform-fdp/#18-in-which-country-territory-will-personal-data-be-stored-or-processedThese measures collectively ensure that NHS data remains under UK jurisdiction and all processing of patient information will be within the UK only. This is a contractual requirement, and one of the key principles of the FDP Information Governance Framework. Data cannot be accessed or processed by non-UK government entities.

Whether his Department has consulted UK defence and intelligence agencies on awarding NHS data platform contracts to foreign-owned companies with defence-sector operations.

NHS England conducted an independent and transparent procurement exercise in full compliance with public contract regulations. The selection of the preferred supplier was not determined by a single individual but was the result of a rigorous assessment process involving multiple stakeholders. Consulting the United Kingdom’s defence and intelligence agencies before awarding data contracts is not a usual part of NHS England’s procurement process. NHS England did work with the National Cyber Security Centre for this procurement. In accordance with procurement regulations, NHS England cannot exclude any legally established and eligible supplier from participating in the bidding process.

What steps he is taking to ensure that non-deterministic outputs from AI tools used in (a) diagnostics and (b) treatment planning can be (i) explained and (ii) validated.

In the United Kingdom, the majority of artificial intelligence (AI) products being used in health and social care are regulated as medical devices. This means they are subject to stringent safety, performance, and efficacy requirements, primarily set out in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, with robust monitoring by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency. These requirements also apply to non-deterministic AI systems that are medical devices used in the National Health Service, such as large language models.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arms-length body of the Department, makes recommendations on the safety and cost-effectiveness of products for health and social care services in England. NICE routinely evaluates medical technologies, including innovative AI-enabled technologies, which are assessed in NICE’s Early Value Assessment programme, for those technologies that are most needed and in-demand.NHS England is also developing guidance for those adopting or considering adopting AI technologies, which is expected to support the safe uptake of these technologies and alleviate concerns that clinicians currently have when buying and using these technologies.Although many generative AI systems need minimal intervention from users, clinicians still need to review and approve the text which has been produced. AI tools are to be used to support clinicians with their own decision making, rather than to make decisions on the clinicians’ behalf. AI augments, rather than replaces, human expertise.To ensure that clinicians understand the tools they are working with, we have developed tailored guidance for users and regulators. Through public dialogue, we’ve involved patients and the public in deciding how and why access to health data should be granted for AI research and development. In addition, to bridge the gap between policy and practice we have launched the AI Ambassador Network, which currently has 5,000 members.

Whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that (a) patients and (b) clinicians are able to (i) understand and (ii) challenge decisions made by non-deterministic AI systems.

In the United Kingdom, the majority of artificial intelligence (AI) products being used in health and social care are regulated as medical devices. This means they are subject to stringent safety, performance, and efficacy requirements, primarily set out in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, with robust monitoring by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency. These requirements also apply to non-deterministic AI systems that are medical devices used in the National Health Service, such as large language models.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arms-length body of the Department, makes recommendations on the safety and cost-effectiveness of products for health and social care services in England. NICE routinely evaluates medical technologies, including innovative AI-enabled technologies, which are assessed in NICE’s Early Value Assessment programme, for those technologies that are most needed and in-demand.NHS England is also developing guidance for those adopting or considering adopting AI technologies, which is expected to support the safe uptake of these technologies and alleviate concerns that clinicians currently have when buying and using these technologies.Although many generative AI systems need minimal intervention from users, clinicians still need to review and approve the text which has been produced. AI tools are to be used to support clinicians with their own decision making, rather than to make decisions on the clinicians’ behalf. AI augments, rather than replaces, human expertise.To ensure that clinicians understand the tools they are working with, we have developed tailored guidance for users and regulators. Through public dialogue, we’ve involved patients and the public in deciding how and why access to health data should be granted for AI research and development. In addition, to bridge the gap between policy and practice we have launched the AI Ambassador Network, which currently has 5,000 members.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 52406 on Pharmacy, what proportion of people do not have access to a pharmacy within two miles in Newton Abbot constituency.

The estimated travel distance to a pharmacy referenced in the previous response was based on a published analysis, commissioned by the Department, and available at the following link:https://postcode-pharmacy-dhsc-nhsgisscw.hub.arcgis.com/The analysis presents estimates at the national, regional, integrated care board, and parliamentary constituency levels. The estimate that 7.4% of the residents of the Newton Abbot constituency live more than two miles from a pharmacy is similar to the national estimate of 7.2%. This estimate is based on the pharmacies included on the NHS Pharmaceutical list in June 2024, and no pharmacies have closed in the Newton Abbot constituency since then.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of Talkworks NHS Talking Therapy in supporting patients with mental health issues in Devon.

Integrated care boards (ICB) are responsible for commissioning services within the National Health Service, including Talking Therapies, to meet the needs of their local populations. ICBs are also responsible for ensuring that service providers adhere to the terms and conditions of their contract, including quality, performance, and the financial aspects.

What steps he is taking to help improve the recruitment and retention of care home staff.

The Government recognises the scale of reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth and improve the recruitment and retention of the domestic workforce.We are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector so that care professionals are recognised and rewarded for the important work that they do.We are supporting the professionalisation of the adult social care workforce, including through the expansion of the Care Workforce Pathway to a further four roles, including registered manager and deputy manager roles. The Pathway sets out how people can develop a long-term career in adult social care, with the right support and training to help attract people to join and remain in the sector.We are also continuing to fund the Adult Social Care Learning Development Support Scheme to help people build their skills and careers in care. The scheme is backed by up to £12 million this financial year and includes qualifications to enhance the quality of care more broadly, as well as opportunities to develop leadership and management skills.

What steps he is taking to improve health outcomes for people with a UTI in Devon.

Information is published nationally on the National Health Service website outlining the symptoms, treatment, self-care, causes, and prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Further information is available at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-tract-infections-utis/ In addition, there is also local patient-facing information on the MyHealth Devon website, which is available at the following link: https://myhealth-devon.nhs.uk/my-condition/condition/utis/ The local NHS service in Devon has a series of referral and treatment guidelines for UTIs. These include: - UTIs in females;- UTIs in males;- suspected UTIs in children; and- UTIs in general. These guidelines include information on assessment, red flags, investigations, management, and referral, and further information on each of the topics above is available at the following link: https://southwest.devonformularyguidance.nhs.uk/referral-guidance/south-devon-torbay/urology There is also a new clinical referral guideline for recurrent UTIs that is currently in development with local specialists. These guidelines cover the management of many UTI related topics, including: - the management of asymptomatic bacteriuria;- the management of catheter-associated urinary tract infection;- the management of chronic pelvic pain syndrome;- the management of community multidrug-resistant urinary tract infection;- the management of lower urinary tract infections;- the management of prostatitis, acute;- the management of pyelonephritis, acute;- the management of recurrent urinary tract infection; and- resources for urinary tract infections. Further information on each of the above is available at the following link:https://southwest.devonformularyguidance.nhs.uk/formulary/chapters/5-infections/urinary-tract-infections