Anti-Microbial Resistance

The Vision

Public Health England (PHE) Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) strategy and action plan for Cheshire & Merseyside 2016, provided guidance for the health and care system on an approach to the development of AMR action plans.

Achieving a continued reduction in the use of antibiotics is a national priority and a key priority for the C&M Health Care Partnership Board.  The C&M sub region has one of the highest rates of healthcare acquired infection and combined general practice and hospital antibiotic consumption in England.  

Because of this, the C&M Health Care Partnership Board and Health Education England have invested funding to support collaborative AMR working across the system. Some of this funding has enabled a Specialist AMR team to be put in place to support local areas with reducing AMR prescribing practice where it is appropriate to do so.

Why is it important?

  • Resistance to antimicrobials poses a substantial threat to individual and public health
  • In the UK, annual rates of antibiotic prescriptions continue to rise, and have been closely followed by increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance
  • The C&M sub region has one of the highest rates of healthcare acquired infection and combined general practice and hospital antibiotic consumption in England

What are we doing?

A Team of AMR specialist experts support AMR stewardship at a Cheshire & Merseyside level – 3 Microbiologists (2 days a month), 3 GPs (0.5 days a week) and 3 Medicines Management experts (1.5 days a week), supported by a programme manager. 

The specialist team have an agreed AMR Action Plan approved by the AMR Board December 2019. This informs the teams local engagement with AMR leads and existing meeting forums, as well as training and support to prescribers.  

A virtual reality simulated learning package for prescribers has been developed, and these learning scenarios will also be available for download to smart devises. The learning scenarios will cover the following prescribing areas:

  • UTIs uncomplicated and recurrent
  • Cough and Sore Throat 
  • Sepsis

An AMR Bulletin is produced monthly which provides information on key updates for Primary Care.

AMR Bulletin

Leadership

The Cheshire & Merseyside AMR Board leads this work for the Sub-region. The Board is co-chaired by Dr Sam Ghebrehewet – Head of Health Protection, PHE North West – Cheshire & Merseyside and Dr Rajesh Rajendran MBBS FRCPath, Dip HIC (UCL), Consultant Microbiologist & Infection Control Doctor, Clinical Lead & Laboratory Director, Pathology.

More information

DPH Lead

The Director of Public Health for Health Care Partnership priorities is Eileen O’Meara eileen.omeara@halton.gov.uk

Contact

Lucia Scally is Senior Manager Public Health Programme Coordinator
luciascally@wirral.gov.uk