What are the key principles of antibiotic stewardship that I should implement in my practice to reduce resistance?

Implement antimicrobial stewardship programmes across all care settings to promote judicious use of antimicrobials and monitor prescribing patterns ¹.

Support prescribers with education and training on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship practices ¹.

Develop and follow local and national antimicrobial guidelines to ensure appropriate prescribing, including the shortest effective course, correct dose, and route of administration ¹.

Encourage clinical assessment and documentation of diagnosis and symptoms before prescribing antimicrobials, and review prescriptions when microbiological results are available ¹.

Use microbiological testing appropriately to guide targeted therapy, especially in recurrent or persistent infections ¹.

Monitor and evaluate antimicrobial prescribing and resistance trends regularly, providing feedback to prescribers and updating guidelines accordingly ¹.

Promote communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals to share learning, support peer review, and ensure consistent messaging about antimicrobial use ¹.