World Antibiotic Awareness Week

November 15, 2018

World Antibiotic Awareness Week continues this week. Yesterday we covered antibiotic resistance and the threat it poses to human health and wellbeing.

Antibiotics are not harmless. They are medicines in their own right and can have serious side effects, as well as important drug interactions.

Always check a patient’s drug allergy status before prescribing or administering any antibiotics. When prescribing antibiotics, always check for drug interactions before prescribing them.

If you are prescribed antibiotics, follow the instructions on the label. Don’t share them with other people who might have similar symptoms to you, and don’t keep any for next time.

You can report adverse reactions to medicines via the Yellow Card scheme.

To celebrate World Antibiotic Awareness Week, on Friday 16 November we will be hosting awareness stands from 11am-1pm at both the BTC (1st floor by the escalators) at City Hospital and the main reception at Sandwell Hospital.

For more information please contact conor.jamieson@nhs.net.

If you can’t make it to one of the stalls, you can still be involved by becoming an Antibiotic Guardian.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats facing us today and the overuse or misuse of antibiotics is making the problem worse. Without effective antibiotics many routine treatments will become increasingly dangerous. Setting broken bones, basic operations, transplants, even chemotherapy all rely on access to antibiotics that work. To slow resistance we need to cut the use of unnecessary antibiotics.

Antibiotic Guardian is a campaign run by Public Health England and a range of partners. Health professionals, patients, health leaders and those who work with, own or treat animals are being encouraged to visit  www.antibioticguardian.com and choose a pledge that they can fulfil and play their part in protecting some of our most precious medicines.