Dr Allison Gardner says a decade of severe urinary symptoms exposed gaps in NHS care, as medical experts work toward a clearer definition of chronic urinary tract infections.
Labour MP Dr Allison Gardner is calling for major improvements in how chronic urinary tract infections are diagnosed and treated across the United Kingdom. The Stoke-on-Trent South MP, who has experienced debilitating urinary symptoms for more than a decade, says patients are too often left without adequate care or a clear explanation of their condition.
Gardner is working with other parliamentarians and medical specialists to improve diagnostic standards, expand access to treatment and increase recognition of persistent urinary symptoms. Their campaign comes as an expert panel develops a proposed clinical definition of chronic urinary tract infection, with work expected to continue into 2027.
The effort could have implications for patients who experience persistent bladder pain, urinary urgency and repeated infections despite receiving treatment.
Gardner Describes Years of Severe Pain
Gardner’s involvement in the campaign is personal. She has spoken publicly about experiencing recurring urinary symptoms for more than 10 years, beginning around perimenopause.
Her symptoms included persistent pain that sometimes became so severe that she struggled to continue normal activities. She underwent repeated courses of antibiotics but said the relief was often temporary.
In an October 13 BBC report, Gardner described feeling dismissed by healthcare professionals who suggested changes to personal hygiene or sexual activity instead of investigating the underlying cause of her symptoms.
She said some consultations left her feeling that doctors considered her symptoms psychological rather than physical.
At one point, Gardner considered selling her home to pay privately for surgery to remove her bladder. The possibility reflected how severely the condition had affected her quality of life.
She also described periods of despair caused by the constant pain and uncertainty surrounding her diagnosis.
Gardner brought her experience into Parliament during a May 2025 debate about chronic UTIs. She explained that her symptoms had begun during menopause and that she had received a chronic UTI diagnosis in 2023.
Her parliamentary testimony helped draw attention to patients who believe their symptoms have not been adequately investigated or treated.
Menopause May Contribute to Recurrent UTIs
Approximately three years ago, Gardner began receiving care from Dr Cat Anderson, a Staffordshire general practitioner with an interest in complex urinary infections.
Anderson identified menopause-related changes as a possible factor contributing to Gardner’s symptoms.
Gardner subsequently received hormone replacement treatment and reported experiencing approximately two years of relief from her recurring urinary problems.
The connection between menopause and urinary health is medically recognized. Declining oestrogen levels can affect tissues around the vagina and urinary tract, potentially increasing susceptibility to infections and irritation.
These changes can also cause symptoms that resemble a UTI, including burning, discomfort and urinary urgency.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, known as NICE, recommends considering vaginal oestrogen for people experiencing recurrent UTIs during perimenopause, menopause or afterward when appropriate preventive measures have not helped.
Vaginal oestrogen acts mainly on local tissues and differs from systemic hormone replacement therapy, which affects the body more broadly.
NICE specifically advises against prescribing systemic hormone replacement therapy solely to prevent recurrent UTIs.
That distinction is important because Gardner’s reported improvement does not establish that every patient with persistent urinary symptoms would benefit from the same treatment.
Doctors must consider whether symptoms result from an ongoing infection, repeated new infections, menopause-related tissue changes or another medical condition.
Why Chronic UTIs Are Difficult to Diagnose
Urinary tract infections usually occur when bacteria enter the urinary system and multiply. Most infections involve the bladder, although bacteria can sometimes reach the kidneys and cause more serious illness.
Women experience UTIs more frequently than men, partly because the female urethra is shorter and bacteria have a shorter distance to travel to the bladder.
Common symptoms include pain when passing urine, needing to urinate more frequently and feeling an urgent need to empty the bladder.
Many uncomplicated infections respond to a short course of antibiotics. However, some patients experience repeated infections, persistent symptoms or complications requiring further investigation.
Current NICE guidance defines recurrent UTI in adults as at least two infections within six months or three within 12 months.
The term chronic UTI presents a different challenge. It is used to describe persistent urinary symptoms or suspected ongoing infection, but there is no universally agreed clinical definition covering all patients described this way.
Researchers and clinicians continue to debate how best to distinguish persistent bacterial infections from other conditions that produce similar symptoms.
Those conditions can include bladder pain syndrome, pelvic floor disorders, vaginal infections and menopause-related changes.
Standard urine testing may also be difficult to interpret in some cases. Symptoms, laboratory findings and previous treatment history must be considered together.
A negative test does not always settle every diagnostic question, but persistent symptoms alone do not establish that bacteria remain present.
Medical specialists emphasize the importance of accurate diagnosis because prolonged or repeated antibiotic treatment can cause side effects and contribute to antimicrobial resistance.
The challenge is identifying patients who need further treatment without exposing others to medication that may not address the cause of their symptoms.
Medical Experts Developing a New Definition
Anderson is working with London-based urological surgeon Sachin Malde and other specialists to develop a clearer clinical definition of chronic UTI.
The expert group aims to distinguish suspected persistent infection from recurrent infections and other conditions that cause ongoing urinary symptoms.
According to the BBC, the panel is working toward a proposed definition in 2027.
Such a definition could help healthcare professionals use more consistent terminology when assessing patients and deciding whether specialist referral is appropriate.
It could also support future research by establishing clearer criteria for identifying patients with similar medical problems.
However, an expert consensus definition would not automatically become mandatory NHS guidance. Formal adoption would require additional assessment by relevant professional bodies and healthcare organizations.
Gardner has described the development of clearer standards as an important step toward improving access to treatment.
She and other campaigners are also seeking better training for general practitioners so that patients with persistent symptoms receive appropriate investigations and referrals.
One proposal involves patient passports, which could provide a consistent record of symptoms, previous test results and treatment history.
These documents could help patients explain their condition when seeing different healthcare professionals.
Parliament Presses for Government Action
Gardner serves as co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Urinary Tract Infections, alongside Liberal Democrat MP Luke Taylor, who is the group’s registered chair.
The group brings together parliamentarians and outside specialists to advocate for improved diagnosis, prevention and treatment.
Taylor has repeatedly raised concerns about the difficulties faced by people with persistent urinary symptoms.
During an April 16, 2026, Commons debate on the Women’s Health Strategy, he urged ministers to clarify whether planned improvements in women’s healthcare would include acute, recurrent and chronic UTIs.
He also requested support for agreed clinical definitions that could inform future NICE guidance.
The government acknowledged the concerns raised during the parliamentary debate, but the discussion did not establish a timetable for new chronic UTI diagnostic standards.
The parliamentary group continues to seek better research, greater professional awareness and more accessible specialist care.
Its work is supported administratively by The Urology Foundation, a charity involved in improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of urological conditions.
Millions May Experience Long-Term Symptoms
Campaigners estimate that approximately 1.7 million women in the UK experience chronic UTI-related problems.
However, the figure should be treated cautiously because chronic UTI lacks a standardized clinical definition. The estimate does not represent a confirmed national count of patients with laboratory-established persistent bacterial infections.
The uncertainty over patient numbers is another reason specialists want clearer diagnostic criteria.
Without consistent definitions, researchers may study different groups of patients under the same medical label. That makes it harder to compare treatments, measure outcomes and estimate the scale of unmet healthcare needs.
Long-lasting urinary symptoms can have serious practical consequences regardless of their underlying cause.
Patients may struggle to work, care for children, travel or maintain relationships because of pain and frequent bathroom visits.
Some pay for private medical appointments or specialist treatment after experiencing difficulties obtaining answers through existing services.
Gardner believes earlier recognition and more coordinated care could spare other patients years of unnecessary suffering.
The next major development in the campaign is the expert panel’s proposed chronic UTI definition, expected in 2027. Parliamentary advocates will continue pressing for improvements to NHS diagnostic pathways while specialists work to establish clearer standards for identifying and treating persistent urinary problems.
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Source https://members.parliament.uk/member/5334/portrait Author ©House of Commons / Roger Harris CC3