NHS funding combats the overuse of antibiotics

The NHS is making £150m of funding available to hospitals and other healthcare providers that reduce inappropriate antibiotic usage

NHS England has launched a healthcare incentive scheme for hospitals, family doctors and other health service providers to prevent the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most significant threats to patients’ safety worldwide and is driven by overusing antibiotics and prescribing them inappropriately, according to the NHS.

The NHS said that its new programme, which goes live in April 2016, will offer hospitals incentive funding worth up to £150m to support expert pharmacists and clinicians review and reduce inappropriate prescribing.

In addition, a typical local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) with a population of 300,000 people could receive up to £150,000 a year to support GP practices improve their antimicrobial prescribing, according to the NHS.

CCGs are being incentivised to reduce the number of antibiotics prescribed in primary care by 4%, or to the average performance levels of 2013/14. Hospital trusts will also receive payments for gathering and sharing evidence of antibiotic consumption and review within 72 hours of the beginning of treatment.

Further payments will be made for reducing the use of specific types of drug which are used to treat a wide range of bacteria. These so-called ‘broad spectrum’ antibiotics need to be reserved to treat resistant disease and should generally be used only when standard antibiotics are ineffective, according to the NHS.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: “Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to patient safety and the quality of care.

“These measures will build on the vital work the NHS is already doing to tackle the overuse and inappropriate prescription of antibiotics, so that in years to come patients can continue to be protected from otherwise lethal infections.”

Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, said: “The NHS, governments and industry all have key role to play in combating antimicrobial resistance which poses a catastrophic global threat. These measures will put the NHS at the forefront of meeting this challenge.”

Paul Cosford, ‎director for health protection and medical director at Public Health England, said: “One key action in work to slow resistance is ensuring all antibiotics are appropriately prescribed and that these prescriptions are regularly reviewed.

“I am delighted the NHS is taking action to address this through its Commissioning for Quality and Innovation guidance.

“Public Health England will work with NHS England to support the effective implementation of this guidance and we will continue to improve antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship programmes across the wider health system.”