Leading doctors record video appeal explaining antibiotic resistance

The government has launched an urgent video appeal to help educate British parents on the dangers posed by antimicrobial resistance.

Compiled by Public Health England, the video features input from chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies, alongside other well-known medical professionals such as Dr Hilary Jones, Dr Rosemary Leonard, Dr Sarah Jarvis, Dr Ellie Cannon and Dr Carol Cooper.

The aim of the campaign is to explain the consequences of a world without effective antibiotics, while offering advice to parents on how they can protect their families' health this winter without contributing to the antibiotic resistance problem.

It has been recommended that parents focus their attentions on keeping surfaces clean, paying attention to hand sanitation issues, keeping the house warm and seeking advice from a pharmacist when illnesses arise.

The video also offers a reminder that antibiotics, when prescribed, need to be taken as directed, while it was also noted that many minor ailments are self-limiting and do not require medication.

Dame Sally said: "These simple actions will help preserve these precious drugs and help to save modern medicine as we know it."