In this episode of CPPE Pharmacy Conversations, hosts Jo Lane and Rina Babla are joined by two distinguished guests, Fran Garraghan, a consultant pharmacist specialising in antimicrobial stewardship, and Dr Kieran Hand, national pharmacy and prescribing clinical lead for NHS England’s antimicrobial resistance (AMR) program.

With World Antimicrobial Resistance Week approaching, this timely discussion delves into one of the most critical public health challenges of our time: antimicrobial resistance.

The conversation covers a range of topics, from the national and global landscape of AMR to the specific roles that pharmacy professionals can play in combating the issue. The guests share insights on the current trends, highlight the importance of antimicrobial stewardship and discuss practical initiatives that professionals can take both in hospital settings and community pharmacies.

Key topics include:

• The increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance on both national and global levels.
• The UK’s National AMR Action Plan and its five primary targets, including reducing antibiotic use and raising awareness among healthcare professionals and the public.
• The role of pharmacy professionals in prescribing, antimicrobial stewardship and educating the public.
• Practical strategies for engaging healthcare teams and driving change at the local and national levels.

Learning outcomes

1. Understand the scope and impact of antimicrobial resistance on global health, identifying key factors driving the rise of resistant infections
2. Analyse the role of pharmacy professionals in antimicrobial stewardship, evaluating current best practices for reducing antibiotic use and implementing antimicrobial resistance strategies
3. Apply effective interventions in daily practice, such as antibiotic prescribing protocols and patient education strategies, to contribute to the national and global goal of reducing antimicrobial resistance

Useful resources:

CPPE, Antimicrobial resistance learning gateway

WHO, World AMR Awareness Week

UK Health Security Agency, World AMR Awareness Week 2024 Toolkit

Antibiotic Guardian

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In our next episode… we will focus on patient safety.

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