The Department of Health has published new guidance on the use of antibiotics in hospitals in a bid to prevent patients being given them too much and developing a resistance to the drugs.

The new guidance, ‘Start Smart, Then Focus’, provides hospital prescribers with best practice advice on antimicrobial prescribing. It will help ensure patients receive the right drug, at the right time, at the right dose and the right duration for the individual – avoiding unnecessary lengthy duration of antibiotic treatment and inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Misuse of antibiotics is causing bacteria to become resistant. Some antibiotics aren’t as effective as they used to be because the bacteria they are designed to tackle have become resistant to them. These important medicines need to be used wisely to maximise the NHS’s ability to treat infections in the future.

The increase in antibiotic resistance is a major concern which needs action at a global level. It is essential that antibiotics are used in the right way to slow down resistance and this is what the guidance seeks to help health professionals do.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, said: “Many antibiotics are currently prescribed and used when they don’t need to be – meaning antibiotics lose their effectiveness at a rapidly increasing rate.

“This guidance will help ensure better use of antibiotics in hospitals and treatment tailored for individual patient needs.”

For more information
www.mediacentre.dh.gov.uk