Antibiotic Awareness Campaign

What is antibiotic resistance?

• when bacteria adapt and develop a way to protect themselves from being killed by antibiotics
• bacteria are more likely to develop resistance when antibiotics are overused or not used as prescribed

Why is it a problem?

• infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria are more difficult to treat leading to increased levels of disease and death and longer hospital stays
• operations like bone, heart or bowel surgery, and treatments like chemotherapy all require antibiotics to be successful; if our antibiotics do not work these procedures will become impossible without risk of infection.

What can I do?

• become an Antibiotic Guardian by choosing to pledge to undertake a simple action that can help prevent the development and spread of antibiotic resistance

For more information about this campaign, pick up a leaflet at the Practice