Guideline for reducing antibiotic prescribing

Guideline for reducing antibiotic prescribing in self-limiting respiratory tract infections

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne says a new guideline will help to support General Practitioners in adopting delayed or no antibiotic prescribing strategies for patients with self-limiting respiratory tract infections.

bpacnz and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of the United Kingdom have worked together to produce a contextualised guideline for reducing antibiotic prescribing in self-limiting respiratory tract infections for use within general practices, urgent care clinics, community pharmacies, and emergency departments in New Zealand.

The Respiratory tract infections – reducing antibiotic prescribing guideline is the first UK guideline to be contextualised following the agreement between bpacnz and NICE, and was launched today at the Dunedin School of Medicine.

There is a growing need for appropriate antibiotic prescribing worldwide due to antimicrobial resistance. This guideline provides New Zealand primary care prescribers with simple and clear guidance on strategies to reduce the amount of antibiotics that are consumed.

While clinical assessment of severity remains an important theme, the guideline directs prescribers on whether immediate, delayed or no antibiotic prescribing strategies are to be adopted for respiratory tract infections that are of a self-limiting nature, including circumstances when symptoms may resolve over time without antibiotic use.

This new guideline is part of a range of guidelines bpacnz aim to produce in agreement with NICE to support the New Zealand health sector.

ENDS

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