Page 7 - Clinical Connections - Spring 2023
P. 7
Antimicrobials
A PRECIOUS RESOURCE: ANTIMICROBIAL
STEWARDSHIP IN THE QMHA
Rosanne Jepson, Professor Small Animal Internal Medicine, and Tom Greensmith, Lecturer in Small
Animal Emergency and Critical Care
n November 2022 the Queen Mother
Hospital for Animals (QMHA) participated
I in ‘World Antimicrobial Awareness
Week’, an international event coordinated
by the World Health Organisation. In 2022,
the theme was ‘Preventing Antimicrobial
Resistance Together’. It was an important
opportunity to consider both the preservation
of antibiotics for human health and the
role that the veterinary profession plays in
preventing antimicrobial resistance.
Antimicrobial stewardship is always at the
forefront of the clinical work that we do at the
QMHA. Ensuring antimicrobial stewardship
means that you establish a coordinated
programme that promotes appropriate use
of antimicrobials (including antibiotics), work
to improve patient outcome, aim to reduce The antibiotic amnesty took place in Novemeber
microbial resistance and help to decrease
the spread of infections caused by multi- restricted and require authorisation for use antibiotics, but no data is currently available.
drug resistant organisms. (Tier 3). Regular auditing is an important The Antibiotic Amnesty was a national
Sin