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Dec 2020
PHE issues warning as antibiotic resistant infections increase among patients across England
Public Health England has warned that the number of patients with an antibiotic resistant infection is increasing across England, with some infections rising by a third since 2015.
In its latest annual report on the threat of antimicrobial resistance, they revealed the number of resistant infections in England has risen to 178 a day in 2019.
Without antibiotics to treat common infections, routine treatments and operations in the NHS could become life-threatening, including cancer treatments, hip replacements and caesarean sections. No new antibiotics have been developed since the 1980s.
PHE have warned patients to always follow the advice given by doctors and to only take antibiotics when needed to avoid bacteria developing resistance.
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections such as meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia. They also help to protect against infections during surgery. However, they are also sometimes used to treat sore throats, coughs and earache, where they have little or no effect.
When antibiotics are overused the bacteria they are attempting to destroy can adapt and develop resistance, rendering them ineffective when they are most needed.
Public Health England’s director of National Infection Service Isabel Oliver, said “We want the public to join us in tackling antimicrobial resistance – listen to your GP pharmacist or nurse’s advice and only take antibiotics when necessary.
“It’s worrying that more infections are becoming resistant to these life-saving medicines. Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them can have grave consequences for you and your family’s health, now and in the future.”
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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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