NHS England launches national programme to combat antibiotic resistance

NHS England has launched a new incentive scheme in a bid to slow down the growing issue of antibiotic resistance.

The new scheme is the largest of its kind, and will offer hospitals, GP practices and health service providers financial incentives to improve their antimicrobial prescribing.

Antibiotic resistance has been highlighted as a significant threat to patient safety, with overuse and inappropriate prescribing contributing to the problem. As bacteria becomes more resistant, it will become more and more difficult to treat infections, which could have a disastrous impact on patient care.

The new programme will go live in April 2016 and will offer hospitals incentive funding worth up to £150 million to support expert pharmacists and clinicians review and reduce inappropriate prescribing. Additionally, a Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) with a population of around 300,000 could receive up to £150,000 a year to support GP practices to improve their antimicrobial prescribing.

The new scheme aims to help CCGs to reduce prescriptions in primary care by four per cent, with further payments available for reducing specific ‘broad spectrum’ antibiotics that are used to treat a wide range of bacteria and need to be reserved to treat resistant diseases.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: “Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to patient safety and the quality of care. These measures will build on the vital work the NHS is already doing to tackle the overuse and inappropriate prescription of antibiotics, so that in years to come patients can continue to be protected from otherwise lethal infections.”

Paul Cosford, ‎director for health protection and medical director at Public Health England, said: “Tackling antimicrobial resistance is rightly a national and international priority. One key action in work to slow resistance is ensuring all antibiotics are appropriately prescribed and that these prescriptions are regularly reviewed. I am delighted the NHS is taking action to address this through its Commissioning for Quality and Innovation guidance. Public Health England will work with NHS England to support the effective implementation of this guidance and we will continue to improve antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship programmes across the wider health system.”