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Chronic UTIs made me feel like a drug user - MP Allison Gardner

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www.bbc.co.uk

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A female MP with shoulder length blonde hair and glasses standing up to deliver a speech in the House of Commons. She is wearing a red jacket and has papers and a pen in her right hand.

Understand

Labour MP Dr Allison Gardner leads cross-party group to improve recognition and treatment of chronic UTIs

Overview

Labour MP Dr Allison Gardner has spoken out about her decade-long struggle with chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs), describing the severe pain and dismissal by medics that left her feeling like a drug user and contemplating extreme measures. Gardner is now leading a cross-party group of MPs, alongside medical specialists, to lobby for an official medical definition of chronic UTIs, better GP training, and improved patient care pathways within the NHS.

Key points

  • Labour MP Dr Allison Gardner has lived with the severe pain of chronic UTIs for about 10 years, which left her feeling gaslighted and dismissed by medical professionals.
  • The Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Campaign estimates that over 1.6 million women in the UK suffer from lower urinary tract symptoms, yet there is currently no official medical definition for the condition.
  • Gardner eventually found relief after consulting a specialist who linked her symptoms to the menopause and prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
  • A panel of medical experts, including Dr Cat Anderson and consultant urological surgeon Sachin Malde, plans to deliver an official definition of chronic UTIs in 2027 to present to NICE.
  • The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) co-chaired by Gardner wants to see better GP training, increased research investment, and the introduction of a patient medical 'passport'.
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