Manchester Medical Microbiology Partnership

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The Manchester Medical Microbiology Partnership (MMMP) is a collaboration between Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The objective of this partnership is to provide Central and South Manchester with a Unified Microbiology Service embracing all aspects of medical and public health microbiology.

The MMMP is made up of the following departments and units:

Download the MMMP User Manual

Roles and functions

  • To provide a clinical and public health microbiology service, including an infection control service, jointly managed by MFT and UKSHA
  • Provide microbiology support and advice to the UK Health Security Agency Centres (UKHSACs), Local Authorities and Port Health Authorities in the North West
  • Provide expert microbiological advice during outbreaks and other incidents of infectious disease
  • Contribute to the development of local, regional and national guidelines and policies
  • Provide community and health care-associated infection (HCAI) surveillance data
  • Host the following UKHSA units:
    • Meningococcal Reference Unit (MRU), which provides national microbiological and surveillance data on meningococcal infections
    • Vaccine Evaluation Unit (VEU), which studies the efficacy of meningococcal, pneumococcal and other vaccines, e.g. human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines
    • Sero-epidemiology Unit (SEU), which provides serological data on the epidemiology of infection
  • Provide a Clostridium difficile ribotyping service (CDRN) for the North West
  • Provide specialist virology and molecular diagnostic and genomic sequencing services for Greater Manchester, the North West and beyond

(Last reviewed November 2023)