New resources on antimicrobial resistance released

Public health professionals have been given access to new resources aimed at reducing the unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics.

The second edition of Public Health England's Health Matters resource sets out how healthcare professionals can deal with patient demand and reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing.

It outlines key measures such as using government-approved prescribing toolkits, involving patients in shared decision-making, issuing delayed prescriptions, encouraging good hygiene practices and sharing best practice with peers.

The resource is designed to bring together local and national level data, as well as campaigning and social marketing resources, in an easy-to-use, engaging format.

Public Health England chief executive Duncan Selbie said: "We rely heavily on antibiotics and the pressure on healthcare professionals to prescribe is great, even when they are not needed. We need to conserve antibiotics and use them appropriately, or we risk losing the power of these medicines."

The latest official data indicates that although the total number of antibiotic prescriptions dispensed decreased between 2011 and 2014, total antibiotic consumption in primary care increased by 6.5 percent.