R34 Response Accepted

Antimicrobial guidance implementation

Recommendation

Health Boards should ensure that changes in policy and/or guidance on antimicrobial practice issued by or on behalf of Scottish Government are implemented without delay.

Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG), operational since 2008, provides comprehensive guidance on antimicrobial stewardship across hospital, community, dental, and care home settings, including specific CDI-related prescribing guidance. SAPG publishes prescribing data through Public Health Scotland and has demonstrated year-on-year reductions in inappropriate prescribing. The Scottish Government accepted this recommendation in June 2015, outlining the development of guidelines and the establishment of the Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance in Scotland Group.
How was this assessed?
Assessed by gemini-2.5-flash on 24 Mar 2026
Checked data held on this site (government responses, progress updates, independent evidence)
External sources searched: www.gov.uk, www.gov.scot, www.legislation.gov.uk, hansard.parliament.uk
This recommendation requires implementation across many organisations. The assessment reflects central policy response, not adoption in individual organisations.
Jurisdiction
Scotland
Response
Accepted
Accepted Scottish Government
18 Jun 2015

Section 2.1 of the Scottish Government's response outlines that the HAI Taskforce develops guidelines to improve antimicrobial prescribing practices, including an antimicrobial prescribing policy for Scotland and the Scottish Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan 2014-18. The Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance in Scotland Group was established to oversee activity and produce a delivery plan and outcome measures. While the response emphasizes adherence to documents like the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual for robust HAI practice and policy implementation, it does not explicitly detail mechanisms to ensure that *changes* in policy and/or guidance are implemented by Health Boards 'without delay'.

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Published Evidence

Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.

Good Progress
01 Jan 2025
SAPG Other

Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG) operational since 2008 provides comprehensive guidance on antimicrobial stewardship across hospital community dental and care home settings. Specific CDI-related prescribing guidance published. In 2022 64.7% of amoxicillin 500mg courses were for five days (up from 58.1% in 2021).

View detailed findings

SAPG publishes prescribing data through Public Health Scotland. Hospital antimicrobial stewardship good practice recommendations published. Demonstrable year-on-year reductions in inappropriate prescribing.

Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group View Source
Source
Inquiry Vale of Leven Inquiry
Report The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report 24 Nov 2014
View Source
Responsible Bodies
NHS Health Boards (Scotland) Primary
Themes & Tags
AMR and health inequalities data Disease outbreak surveillance Antibiotics Policy
Recommendation age 11.3 yrs
Last formal update 3933 days ago