Annual report highlights impact of the Clinical Advice Service on Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis patient care

The BTS MDR-TB Clinical Advice Service was launched in January 2018 and has become a central pillar in strategies to help tackle TB across the UK. 

This service is provided with the intention of fulfilling three key objectives: facilitating the provision of expert advice on the treatment and monitoring of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB); increasing the understanding of drug toxicity patterns across the UK and providing a formal gatekeeping function for the use of specially commissioned and novel drugs.  

The report highlights the clinical impact of the MDR-TB service throughout 2024, where a panel of expert Clinical Service Advisors (CSAs) advised on 254 cases, 46% of which were reported as known or suspected MDR/XDR-TB. CSAs also provided 1,315 written advice messages to clinicians across the UK. 

From 2023 to 2024, the service saw a 48% increase in case referrals, highlighting the need for prompt and accessible expert clinical, microbiological, and public health advice. Through 64 person-hours of clinician involvement and 243 person-hours of trainee/observer involvement, the Clinical Advice Service forms a crucial resource.  

The BTS MDR-TB Clinical Advice Service plays an important role in supporting the care of patients both directly and indirectly, while also making an essential contribution to promoting education for referring clinicians and CAS advisors. 

Dr Richard Russell, Chair of the BTS Board of Trustees, says, 

"Those colleagues volunteering their time as advisors are valued highly by the BTS Board for their part in maintaining this important service. We are hugely proud of this service and of those who give their time and expertise to improve patient outcomes."

With annual rises in the number of new cases referred to the Clinical Advice Service, it remains an important national resource to aid the improved care of MDR and other complex TB patients in the UK.   

Read the full report for more details on the crucial work undertaken by the Clinical Advice Service.