Antibiotics – December 2022
Antibiotics – December 2022
- New antibiotic SSPs have been published – please see link below.
- https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pharmacies-gp-practices-and-appliance-contractors/serious-shortage-protocols-ssps
- Please also note there are additional resources at PSNC guidance or the RPS illustration.
- This information should be shared with the whole pharmacy team including locums.
Two of the pillars of primary care – pharmacy and general practice – are currently experiencing high levels of patient demand, fuelled by concerns over Strep A and antibiotic availability. Working collaboratively is essential for patient care given the current media coverage. Below is a selection of resources to help in your daily practice.
On the 7th of December, MIMS learning published a free CPD module. This provides reminders for health care professionals on the signs and symptoms of scarlet fever and invasive group A streptococcus (GAS) infection and gives the management advice from the UK Health Security Agency. The learning can be accessed using the following link:
Free CPD module on MIMS Learning covers invasive group A streptococcus | GPonline
Understandably parents are concerned; providing information and safety-netting advice gives reassurance and protection. The Healthier Together site has comprehensive safety-netting and parent information sheets for primary health care professionals Safety netting & parent info sheets :: Healthier Together (what0-18.nhs.uk) particularly useful is the tonsilitis / sore throat sheet Tonsillitis/sore throat :: Healthier Together (what0-18.nhs.uk)
Due to the current supply issues with liquid antibiotic formulations, the specialist pharmacy service has provided guidance on the use of solid oral dosage forms in place of oral suspensions in children:
The Pharmacy Quality Scheme, prevention domain provides the opportunity to audit and review your practice around respiratory tract infections, no time like the present!
The Treating Your Infection Respiratory Tract Infection (TYI-RTI) patient information leaflet has been designed to be used with patients who are experiencing self-limiting RTIs. This leaflet supports implementation of recommendations in the NICE guidelines on processes for antimicrobial stewardship, behaviour change for antimicrobial stewardship and antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections.
Resources for the community pharmacy setting: RTI leaflet for community pharmacies (rcgp.org.uk)
- NICE provides a great 2-page visual summary for each of these conditions; the links are below:
- Overview | Sore throat (acute): antimicrobial prescribing | Guidance | NICE
- Overview | Sinusitis (acute): antimicrobial prescribing | Guidance | NICE
- Overview | Otitis media (acute): antimicrobial prescribing | Guidance | NICE
- Overview | Cough (acute): antimicrobial prescribing | Guidance | NICE
