R40 Response Accepted AI-assessed

Prudent antibiotic prescribing

Recommendation

Health Boards should ensure that the key principles of prudent antibiotic prescribing are adhered to and that implementation of policy is rigorously monitored by management.

Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
The Scottish Government accepted this recommendation in 2015. The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG) provides comprehensive prudent antibiotic prescribing guidance, including hospital and community antimicrobial stewardship good practice recommendations. National monitoring of prescribing trends continues, with SAPG having operated since 2008 and demonstrating improvements in prescribing patterns (SAPG, 2025-01-01).
How was this assessed?
Assessed by gemini-2.5-flash on 19 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 emphasizes the major role of prudent antibiotic prescribing in HAI prevention and control. The HAI Taskforce addresses this by developing guidelines, 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 outcome measures, while the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group works with NHS board antimicrobial management teams to maintain stewardship activities at national and local levels, ensuring policy implementation is monitored.

Read Full Response
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

SAPG provides comprehensive prudent antibiotic prescribing guidance. Hospital and community antimicrobial stewardship good practice recommendations published. National monitoring of prescribing trends continues.

View detailed findings

Prudent prescribing principles embedded in national guidance. SAPG has operated since 2008 with demonstrable improvements in prescribing patterns.

Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group - pruden… 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 Prescribing
Recommendation age 11.3 yrs
Last formal update 3932 days ago