Midlands & East (Central Midlands)
Charter House
Parkway
WelwynGarden City
AL8 6JL
Email:
Direct line:01138 248830
November2015
TO : ALL COMMUNITY PHARMACY CONTRACTORS IN
BEDFORDSHIRE, HERTFORDSHIRE, LUTON, MILTON KEYNES and NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Dear Colleague,
As you know participation in Health Promotion Campaigns is an important part of the Terms of Service for Community Pharmacy Contractors.
The Health Promotion Campaign for November focuses on Antibiotic Awareness to coincide with European Antibiotics awarenessday on 18th November 2015 and World antibiotic awareness week which runs from 16th to 22nd November 2015.The campaign will run for the whole of November2015.
Both healthcare professionals and other pharmacy team members can sign up to make a pledge to be antibiotic guardians here:
Further resources and materials to promote the key messages about the importance of antibiotic stewardship can be found at:
Antibiotic Awareness
This campaign focuses on the responsible use of antibiotics. Pharmacists and their staff will want to make patients aware that requesting and/or taking antibiotics for the wrong reasons such as against colds or flu will provide no benefit and will only increase antibiotic resistance.Those taking antibiotics should also be reminded of the importance of the correct use of antibiotics; to take the correct dose at the right time and for the correct duration.The target audience is allpatients. Please share this information with all your pharmacy staff.
The aim of the campaign is to make people more aware of how to get the right treatment for common illnesses such as colds and coughs without encouraging antibiotic resistance and to use antibiotics properly. There is a common misconception amongst the general public that the person becomes resistant to the antibiotic rather than the bacteria.
Key Messages – general
• Antibiotics are essential medicines for treating bacterial infections in both humans and animals.
• Antibiotics are losing their effectiveness at an increasing rate.
• Bacteria can adapt and find ways to survive the effects of an antibiotic. They become ‘antibiotic resistant’, so that the antibiotic no longer works. The more you use an antibiotic, the more bacteria become resistant to it.
• It is important we use antibiotics in the right way, the right drug, at the right dose, at the right time, and for the right duration to slow down the development of antibiotic resistance.
• There are very few new antibiotics in the development pipeline, which is why it is important we use our existing antibiotics wisely and make sure these life-saving medicines continue to stay effective for ourselves and future generations.
• Many antibiotics are prescribed and used for mild infections when they don’t need to be. All colds and most coughs, sinusitis, otitis media (earache) and sore throats often get better without antibiotics.
Campaign materials
Poster and leaflets are available electronically at the following link:
New for 2015 is a leaflet aimed specifically at community pharmacies entitled ‘Treating your infection: leaflet for community pharmacy’.
Please print/ order publications you feel appropriate for your patients and customers.
Posters should be prominently displayed in all pharmacies or displayed on pharmacy websitesand the patient resources will support your health promotional message and interventions.
Monitoring and outcomes
It is important that you complete and return your data collection forms with the number of interventions provided to the public. Completed forms for each of the campaigns for 2015-16 should be retained at the pharmacy. The summary sheet should be completed following all the 2015-16 year’s campaigns and sent to NHS England Midlands & East (Central Midlands) by email: by the end of March 2016.
Without submission of the form there is no confirmation that a pharmacy has participated in the public health campaigns which forms part of the essential services. Furthermore, the information you provide enables us to evaluate the success of the campaigns we run.Pharmacies are advised to also retain their own copies as evidence for contractual monitoring.
Please do not hesitate to contact one of the Team using the email above if you have any further questions relating to this campaign.
Thank you for your support and full and enthusiastic participation in this important and mandatory element of the pharmacy contract.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Pauline WaltonJane Bray
Lead PharmacistSupport Contract Manager
cc Helen MussonExecutiveOfficer, Hertfordshire LPC
Gerald ZeidmanChief Officer Beds LPC
Anne-Marie KingVice Chair, Northants & MK LPC
Richard JonesHead of Prescribing & Meds Management (Luton CCG)
Andy CookeHead of Prescribing & Meds Management (Bedfordshire CCG)
Sue RussellLead Pharmacist (ENHerts CCG)
Paul LarkinLead Pharmacist (Herts Valleys CCG)
Sue SmithHead of Prescribing & Meds Management (Nene & Corby CCGs)
Janet CorbettAssociate Director Transformation & Delivery (Milton Keynes CCG)
Jim McManusDirector of Public Health – Hertfordshire County Council
Dr Muriel Scott Director of Public Health – Central Bedfordshire Council & Bedford Borough Council
Gerry TaylorDirector of Public Health – Luton Borough Council[DA(NCEC1]
[DA(NCEC1]Much of the info here will also need checking but speak to Jane Bray who will be able to update you!