Content originally from NHS Mid and South Essex
This week is World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which focuses on raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and how to use antibiotics appropriately, so they work when we need them to.
When antibiotics are used too often or incorrectly, it can lead to serious health risks because the bacteria change in response to the medicine, making these medicines less effectivee. Over time, this can lead to infections that are harder to treat, posing risks not just to your family, but also to the wider community.
AMR is one of the biggest challenges in modern medicine, and children are particularly affected. In our local area, antibiotic prescription rates for children are higher than the national average. In Southend, 9 out of 10 children aged 0-9 years were prescribed antibiotics in the last year, compared to a national average of just over half.
In our latest blog, John Swanson, Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention and Control, explores why this issue matters, what’s being done locally, and what parents and carers can do to help.
Together, we can protect children’s health and safeguard the effectiveness of antibiotics for the future.
SWF Health & Social Care Group 