Getting across the message on antibiotics (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Getting across the message on antibiotics

8:00pm Monday 19th November 2012 in News

PHARMACISTS at Airedale Hospital are joining a global campaign to encourage responsible prescribing of antibiotics.

A display will be staged in the Steeton hospital for patients and visitors and the team will be reminding their colleagues of new guidelines to help slow down the development of antibiotic resistance.

Many antibiotics are being used for mild infections when they don’t need to be such as colds, coughs, sinusitis, earache and sore throats which usually get better on their own.

Inappropriate use of antibiotics increases the risk of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as Clostridium difficile and MRSA.

Kevin Frost, antibiotic-specialist pharmacist at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Antibiotics are an invaluable resource.

“It’s really important that we use them in the right way to make sure they continue to stay effective at helping us to fight serious infections and help prevent infection during surgical procedures.

“Antibiotics do not work against infections, such as colds, caused by viruses and should be used to treat infections caused by bacteria which are less common. The more often we use an antibiotic, the more likely it is bacteria will become resistant to it."

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