Antimicrobial guidance implementation
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.
- The Scottish Government's response outlined the HAI Taskforce's role in developing antimicrobial prescribing guidelines and the Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance in Scotland (CARS) programme, which monitors prescribing practices across NHS boards.
- The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG) provides national leadership on antimicrobial stewardship, including guidelines, monitoring, and reporting. NHS board antimicrobial management teams drive implementation locally.
- The HCAI Strategy 2023-2025 includes antimicrobial resistance as a key priority, with surveillance and stewardship programmes ensuring that changes in antimicrobial policy are implemented without delay (Scottish HCAI Strategy 2023-2025 (https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-healthcare-associated-infection-hcai-strategy-2023-2025/)).
- ARHAI Scotland provides national surveillance data on antimicrobial resistance and prescribing patterns to support policy implementation.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedSection 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'.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
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.