22 Nov 2022
CVS Group, IVC Evidensia, Linnaeus, Vets4Pets, RCVS, RCVS Knowledge, PDSA and vet associations among those involved in pioneering campaign with NHS England (Midlands).
Paul Imrie
Job Title
AMR lead at Linnaeus Fergus Allerton with a patient.
Vet groups, associations and bodies across the sector have joined forces with NHS England (Midlands) for the first time on a pioneering campaign to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
An antibiotic amnesty has been taking place in November, overlapping with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (18 to 24 November), with pet owners encouraged to return out-of-date and unused antibiotics to NHS pharmacies for safe disposal.
CVS Group, IVC Evidensia, Linnaeus and Vets4Pets are involved, joined by the BEVA, BSAVA, BVA, Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices, NOAH, RCVS, RCVS Knowledge, VMD, PDSA, the Bella Moss Foundation and the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) in promoting the amnesty.
Fergus Allerton, AMR lead at Linnaeus, is helping to coordinate the amnesty on behalf of the veterinary sector.
He said: “The veterinary profession has a responsibility to ensure judicious use of antimicrobials. AMR has been declared one of the top 10 global public health threats by the World Health Organization and all environmental contamination with antibiotics will only worsen this issue.
“With the veterinary sector collaborating with human health colleagues on this amnesty, we are adopting a one health approach to support the welfare of people, pets and the planet. In doing so, we can jointly help to reduce the risk of AMR and preserve the efficacy of important antimicrobials long into the future.”
Individual vet practices have been asked to promote the campaign through reception posters, reminders by client care teams, social media and website resources, while an animated film has also been created.
Pet owners will also be asked to complete a short survey on the RUMA website via a QR code.
Last year, NHS in the midlands launched a regional amnesty, holding 8,000 amnesty-related conversations with patients. Five hundred packs of antibiotics were returned for safe disposal.
Conor Jamieson, regional antimicrobial stewardship lead, midlands region at NHS England, said: “Delivering a coordinated response across all types of health care provision will make a much bigger impact on addressing AMR.
“This one health approach provides more opportunities to educate the public and encourage positive behaviour when disposing of antibiotics.”
Participating veterinary practices have had collection boxes through November, with staff asked to record the number of returned packs and share results with the BSAVA.
It will be a regulatory requirement for all practices to take back medicines under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme at general practitioner level by June 2023.
