Labour MP Dr Allison Gardner says years of recurring UTIs left her in severe pain and sometimes feeling dismissed by doctors. She is now leading MPs and experts pushing for an official definition and better treatment.
01Summary
- 01Dr Allison Gardner, the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, says she has lived with recurrent UTIs for about 10 years.
- 02The Chronic Urinary Tract Campaign says more than 1.6 million women in the UK suffer from chronic lower urinary tract symptoms, but there is no official medical definition.
- 03Gardner says she was told to use shorter antibiotic courses, felt "gaslighted" by medics, and once considered selling her home for bladder removal surgery.
- 04A medical panel led by Dr Cat Anderson and consultant urological surgeon Sachin Malde plans to deliver an official definition of chronic UTI in 2027.
- 05In 2023-24, UTIs accounted for 1.2 million hospital bed days and cost hospitals and the NHS more than £604m, according to UKHSA.
02Why it matters
The campaign could change how chronic UTIs are recognised, diagnosed and treated, affecting large numbers of women who say they are not being listened to. It also has wider implications for NHS costs, training and patient safety.
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