This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New guidance on prescribing antibiotics
05/09/2005
New guidance setting out how the NHS can manage prescribing of antibiotics more carefully has been published.
Antimicrobial Prescribing Policy and Practice in Scotland was drafted by the Scottish Medicines Consortium for the Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Task Force.
Health Minister, Andy Kerr said historic over-use and inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics has been a major factor in bacteria building up resistance and more careful handling would help prevent the rise of antibiotic resistant 'superbugs' like MRSA.
Mr Kerr continued:
"Infection control is one of my top priorities and this new guidance will help in the fight against Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.
"HAIs are a problem for health services around the world and Scotland is no different. We are tackling HAIs head on with the raft of measures and this guidance forms only one part of a wide ranging strategy that has been taken forward by the HAI Task Force.
"Good prescribing practice for antibiotics is vital in helping to manage HAIs. These guidelines set out measures for the safe and effective prescribing of antiobiotics and address some of the issues raised in Audit Scotland's report on Hospital Prescribing published earlier this year.
"Scotland has led the UK in developing strategies for infection control and our approach has been praised by a world expert on HAI, Professor Didier Pittet. The HAI Task Force has done a first rate job, learning from best practice at home and overseas and setting the standards which must be met.
"That work has helped halt the rise in infection rates. We now need to drive rates down. This means putting our knowledge and expertise into practice.
"Prudent antiobiotic prescribing needs multidicisplinary working across the NHS to share research evidence on the limitations of the medicines and knowledge of antibiotic resistance to certain infections.
"The guidance recommends best practice such as the establishment of clear structures of responsibility and accountability for prescribing, the creation of multi-disciplinary antibiotic management teams and standard procedures for collecting information on antibiotic resitance.
"It is also proposed that there should be high quality education and training for undergraduate and postgraduate students and a rolling education programme for all NHS staff.
"The overall aim of these new recommendations on antibiotic prescribing is to ensure there is consistent prescribing practice across the NHS, with the aim of reducing infections like MRSA. I trust that NHS boards will put these recommendations in place now."
The new guidance covers:
Development of prescribing policies in hospitals
Monitoring of compliance with prescribing policies
Structures, responsibilities and accountability for prescribing
Training for staff on prescribing procedures
Audit and performance management of prescribing procedures
Since starting its work two years ago, the HAI Task Force has provided guidance and policies for cleaning and infection control, including programmes for education and training. The Task Force also issued a National Cleaning Services Specification for NHSScotland in May 2004.
Details of the Executive's £15 million clean hospitals campaign announced March 2005:
Every sister/charge nurse to undergo Cleanliness Champions training in infection control and every student nurse in Scotland will have the same training built into their studies. England and Wales have now expressed interest in following this model
Alcohol hand rubs by every frontline bed in Scotland
A reinforced system of accountability for Health Boards - each with a senior infection control manager answering directly to the Chief Executive. Also Chief Executives will support Sisters/Charge Nurses to make sure that they have the authority to maintain a safe working environment that controls infection
Develop the role of the ward housekeepers as a supportive role for the ward sisters/charge nurses to maintain ward cleanliness
Develop a national monitoring framework for cleaning
New research - the most advanced in Europe - to identify and rack down the full range of hospital bugs. This will enable more effective control measures and monitoring of progress and cost an estimated £560,000 over two years