Antibiotic resistant infections increasing despite drop in prescriptions

Latest figures show that, despite a 17 per cent reduction in the number of antibiotic prescriptions over the last five years, antibiotic-resistant infections are still on the increase, up 9 per cent between 2017 and 2018, to nearly 61,000.

Public Health England is urging patients to listen to the pharmacist or doctor’s advice on when to use antibiotics, and to only take them when absolutely necessary.

Antibiotics are crucial in the treatment of serious bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis, but are not effective in treating earache, coughs and sore throats, which usually clear up without the use of drugs.

In addition, if antibiotics are taken incorrectly, harmful bacteria living inside the body can become resistant to the drugs, meaning the medicines may become ineffective when really needed.

Public Health England’s Dr Susan Hopkins, said the fact that more infections were becoming resistant to life-saving antibiotics was “worrying”.

However, she added that there was also good news in that total antibiotic consumption in England has been dropping since 2014, when it reached a 20 year peak.

“We have seen positive steps taken to reduce antibiotic use without affecting people’s recovery when they are unwell and GPs should be congratulated in their ongoing work to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.”

Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, said “The decrease in consumption of antibiotics is good news, but the rise in resistant infections shows the threat is increasing and so there is more to be done.

“Antibiotic resistance is not just a matter for clinicians – the public also have a crucial role to play in helping to preserve these vital medicines.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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