How we helped you fight against AMR in November

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats to public health according to the World Health Organisation, sitting alongside headline-grabbing issues like climate change and pandemics. Tackling it will take a co-ordinated global effort from everyone who prescribes and uses antibiotics, so as a charity supporting the veterinary professions, we have a duty to help you make responsible decisions when handling antimicrobials.

November is Antibiotic Amnesty month and is also when World AMR Awareness Month takes place. We participated in both events and supported the professions in the fight against AMR in a variety of ways, which you can learn about below.

We collaborated with the professions to provide all the information and resources necessary to participate in this year’s Antibiotic Amnesty, a One Health initiative that invites members of the public to return unused antibiotics so they can be disposed of safely. For veterinary practitioners, the aim is to encourage clients to bring their pet’s unused antimicrobials back to their local veterinary practice rather than hold onto them.

This prevents improper usage or disposal of antibiotics, both of which contribute to AMR. While the Antibiotic Amnesty campaign took place in November, it is never too late to get involved and to help further clients’ knowledge on the safe disposal of medications. The resources on our website contain everything you need to know to get started.

If you took part in the Antibiotic Amnesty campaign don’t forget to let us know how you got on by filling out this short survey before 22nd December, and be in with the chance to win a prize. This information is vital to audit the impact of the amnesty and plan for future initiatives. 

As part of World AMR awareness week which ran from 18-24 November, we took the opportunity to share our expertise on how practitioners can join the global effort to ensure that antimicrobials remain effective. We shared a variety of free tools, podcasts, case examples, and webinars that can help you increase your knowledge about the threat of AMR, and how you can make a positive impact.

Our Clinical Leads, Fergus Allerton and Fiona Lovatt, attended the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) annual Fellowship Day on 27th November and met Professor Dame Sally Davies, the current UK Special Envoy on AMR.

Dame Sally gave a talk in which she praised the veterinary professions for being ahead of the curve in terms of antimicrobial stewardship, outlined the myriad impacts of AMR, and emphasised the need for a global response to the issue.  

On the day our Clinical Lead for Medicines,  Fergus Allerton, also received a Fellowship for his work on AMR, while RCVS President, Dr Sue Patterson, encouraged the attendees to make the most of our AMR resources to drive improvement.

Three steps you can take next

Access the Antibiotic Amnesty resources

Complete the Antibiotic Amnesty survey if you took part

Get practical tips to improve the responsible use of antimicrobials