England’s Chief Medical Officer has warned that we could face a return to the dark ages of life-threatening surgery unless we can preserve the infection-killing powers of antimicrobials.

Prof Dame Sally Davies made her remarks in October after a report by Public Health England showed that up to 3 million procedures, such as hip replacements and caesarean sections, could become hazardous in a future where hospital-acquired and other infections are resistant to the common antibiotics we would use to treat them.

That’s why this Antibiotic Awareness Week (12 – 18 November), UHB’s infection prevention and control team across Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospitals (HGS) and the IPC team at QEHB, will be raising awareness that will help improve the stewardship of vital antimicrobials and antibiotics by encouraging colleagues across the Trust to make a pledge.

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is the appropriate use of antimicrobials, including antibiotics. The aim of AMS is to reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance, and ensure that antibiotics continue to be an effective treatment against infections.  

Lead nurse for infection prevention and control team (IPC) at HGS, Gill Abbott, said: “Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats facing us today.

“Without effective antibiotics many routine treatments could become extremely dangerous.

“Basic operations and potentially even chemotherapy rely on antibiotics that still work.

“Across this week we’re asking our colleagues across UHB to make a pledge about how they will make better use of antibiotics to help ensure these vital medicines don’t become obsolete.”

Clinical staff across the Trust are being asked to help cut growing resistance to antibiotics by ensuring proper use of the correct antimicrobial guidelines.

Prescribers are asked to make pledges, such as:

• “If I prescribe an antibiotic, I will document indication, duration and review dates, in line with Start Smart then Focus AMS guidance.”
• “I will review and share my Trusts prescribing data with my colleagues and use this to inform my own prescribing.”
• “When I prescribe antibiotics for sepsis I will supervise their prompt delivery and review for de-escalation opportunities within 48-72 hours.”

Nurses may make pledges, such as:

• “Every time I give antibiotics, I will prompt the prescriber to document their reviewing decision after 48 hours or within the Trust’s guidelines.”
• “Every time I give a patient antibiotics, I will make sure they know why and I will make sure they understand the importance of taking them exactly as prescribed.”

Students are also asked to make pledges, such as:

• “The next time I see an antibiotic prescribed, I will ask the prescriber about the indication and duration, to understand if this is in accordance with local and national guidelines.”
• “The next time I see a recommended infection prevention practice is not being adhered to (e.g. hand hygiene), I will respectfully challenge my peers and healthcare workers/veterinarians.”

QEHB’s Principal Antimicrobial Pharmacist, Martin Biggs, said: “Antibiotics are an essential part of modern medicine, keeping people safe from infection when they are at their most vulnerable, but in the future we may not have these.

“Patients receiving routine procedures will be at unnecessary risk because of resistance so we must to all we can to be the guardians of these antibiotics.”

Members of the public are also asked to get on board by making pledges such as:

• “For infections that our bodies are good at fighting off on their own, like coughs, colds, sore throats and flu, I pledge to try treating the symptoms for five days rather than going to the GP.”
• “It is vital we prevent antibiotics from getting into the environment. I pledge to always take any unused antibiotics to my pharmacy for safe disposal.”
• “If the NHS offers me a flu vaccination, I pledge to accept it.”
• “If I’m prescribed antibiotics, I will take them exactly as prescribed and never share them with others.”

You can follow the IPC team’s pledge-making week on Twitter. They will be sharing photos and footage of pledges made by staff across the Trust. You can also search for updates from the team on Twitter using the hashtag #Doit4Das in memory of Good Hope Consultant Microbiologist, Dr Das Pillay, who sadly passed away in 2017.

You can also make your pledge at the Antibiotic Guardian website at the link below.