GPs across Somerset prescribed four per cent fewer antibiotics than the national average

For the first time, fewer antibiotics are being prescribed by GPs and clinicians across the UK.

The amount of prescriptions of antibiotics from GPs in Somerset is four per cent lower than the national average for last year, and is said to be on track for a below-average level again this year.

A decline in the use of antibiotics has been seen across all healthcare settings, including hospitals.

According to Public Health England (PHE), this is the first time a reduction has been seen in antibiotic use across the whole healthcare system.

Reducing the amount of antibiotics inappropriately prescribed plays a vital part in the work to tackle antibiotic resistance.

In 2015, 2.2million fewer antibiotic prescriptions were dispensed in the community compared to 2014.

Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics (which are effective against a wide range of bacteria and more likely to lead to resistance) has also decreased in primary care for the second year running.

Shaun Green, Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) associate director for medicines management, said: “Improving the way we prescribe antibiotics and ensuring patients and the public understand when antibiotics are necessary is essential if we are to head off the worldwide threat of antibiotic resistance.

“Too many people still ask their GP for antibiotics when they have a cough or cold. Antibiotics have no effect on viral infections like a colds or flu.

“Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, the GP led organisation that plans and funds the county’s health services, has been working with Somerset’s GPs over the last three years and GPs have significantly reduced the quantity of antibiotics they prescribe. So much so that local GPs prescribed four per cent fewer antibiotics than the national average last year and are on target to achieve the same again this year, making us amongst the lowest antibiotic prescribing areas in the South West region and England.

“Somerset’s GP have also been actively supporting public awareness campaigns, such as the recent national ‘Self Care Week’, which tries to help the public understand that antibiotics should be used for patients with serious or potentially life threatening bacterial infections like sepsis (blood poisoning) or bacterial meningitis; not colds or flu.”

Dr Susan Hopkins, lead author and healthcare epidemiologist at PHE, said: "The overall decrease in the number of antibiotics being prescribed is great news but we can’t become complacent; there is still a lot of work to be done.

"PHE is responsible for enabling better access to and use of surveillance data on antimicrobial resistance; we hope today’s report will help doctors, clinicians and wider healthcare professionals understand and measure what is happening in their area and develop local action plans to be tackle antimicrobial resistance."