Antibiotic Amnesty campaign
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest global health issues of our time. We must act, together.
Each November, the veterinary sector joins forces to hold an Antibiotic Amnesty. Working together we will encourage the public to return out-of-date or unused antibiotics to tackle this issue.
What is the issue?
Antibiotics are essential to treat many conditions in both humans and animals. But they must be used carefully, to ensure they are effective when patients really need them.
Clients will often have a stash of antibiotics at home, either from a previous pet or a current prescription that they didn’t finish giving. The temptation to self-treat their pet, or a neighbour’s pet, is higher if they are easily accessible.
Antibiotics disposed of inappropriately, such as in the water system or in the bin, can lead to environmental contamination, increasing the risk of resistant bacteria, damaging the environment and affecting local wildlife.
About the campaign
The first veterinary Antibiotic Amnesty campaign ran in 2022 and has gone from strength to strength since. The collaborative campaign runs across the veterinary profession, and practices are actively being encouraged to take part and contribute to this important initiative.
The campaign is designed to encourage members of the public to bring back unused or unwanted antibiotics to their vet practice for safe disposal. The amnesty is led by a collaboration of UK veterinary organisations, practices and charities to educate owners about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and raise awareness of the importance of the safe use and disposal of these important medicines to address AMR and prevent environmental pollution.
The amnesty is an opportunity for all members of the veterinary team to raise awareness about antibiotic stewardship in general and contribute positively to the fight against AMR.
The veterinary Antibiotic Amnesty takes place during the entire month of November, overlapping World Antibiotic Awareness Week (18-24 November in 2024). It is led by Responsible use of Medicines Alliance Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA CA&E).
What can you do in your practice?
- Talk about the Antibiotic Amnesty with your practice team and have conversations with your clients about antimicrobial resistance and the risks of not using antimicrobials responsibly.
- Encourage clients to return any unused antibiotics to your practice.
- Use the campaign resources available on the RUMA CA&E website, including reception posters, social media posts client hand-outs and more.
- You can also support conversations with your clients by:
- Adding stickers / notes to any prescriptions.
- Including details of the amnesty in your practice newsletter.
- Modifying vaccination reminders to mention this initiative.
- Contacting owners who have had antibiotics dispensed in recent months to tell them about the amnesty and prompt them to return any unused antibiotics – especially if they are due in again soon.
- Using the hashtag for the campaign activity across your social channels #AntibioticAmnesty
After the Antibiotic Amnesty
- Record the number of conversations had with clients about returning antibiotics – not only the number but also any useful feedback.
- Record the number of antibiotics returned to your practice during November.
- Feedback this number to the amnesty partners via this link
Additional resources and information
- What is the Antibiotic Amnesty? – in this short podcast, Fergus Allerton explains what the amnesty is and how practices and clients can get involved. (13 minutes)
- VetTeamAMR: Antibiotic Amnesty 2023 – Danny Chambers MP shares his experiences of working in equine and small animal practice and why the Antibiotic Amnesty is important.
- Knowledge Natter: Rosemullion Veterinary Practice were named Quality Improvement Champions in the 2023 RCVS Knowledge Awards for conducting an audit aimed at improving infection control and cleaning methods in clinical and non-clinical areas. Hear from Abi Redfearn from the practice.
- Visit our AMR Hub for free, evidence-based knowledge and resources, including communication and behaviour change skills, to help you establish responsible antimicrobial stewardship in practice. You can use these resources to continue the efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance after the Antibiotic Amnesty.
- Access free CPD via our learning platform, with specific resources for companion animal, farm animal and equine veterinary teams on the responsible use of antimicrobials.
- Apply to the RCVS Knowledge antimicrobial stewardship award, which showcases practical examples of teams improving responsible antimicrobial prescribing using QI methods.