Published in:
Open Access
01-09-2015 | Review
Antimicrobial Stewardship from Policy to Practice: Experiences from UK Antimicrobial Pharmacists
Authors:
Mark Gilchrist, Paul Wade, Diane Ashiru-Oredope, Philip Howard, Jacqueline Sneddon, Laura Whitney, Hayley Wickens
Published in:
Infectious Diseases and Therapy
|
Special Issue 1/2015
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Abstract
Antimicrobial stewardship in the UK has evolved dramatically in the last 15 years. Factors driving this include initial central funding for specialist pharmacists and mandatory reductions in healthcare-associated infections (particularly Clostridium difficile infection). More recently, the introduction of national stewardship guidelines, and an increased focus on stewardship as part of the UK five-year antimicrobial resistance strategy, have accelerated and embedded developments. Antimicrobial pharmacists have been instrumental in effecting changes at an organizational and national level. This article describes the evolution of the antimicrobial pharmacist role, its impact, the progress toward the actions listed in the five-year resistance strategy, and novel emerging areas in stewardship in the UK.