IMPACT SNAPSHOT: Reducing antibiotic resistance and improving prescribing safety

We improved antibiotic stewardship across 1,000+ practices, reducing overall antibiotic prescribing by 21.5% while saving £700,000 in direct prescribing costs.

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General practice accounts for £9 billion of NHS medicine spending. Many prescribed medicines help patients, some are unnecessary causing harm. Key challenges include antibiotic resistance, opioid overuse, and environmental impact of asthma inhalers. Antibiotic resistance is a critical global health threat where once-treatable infections become difficult to cure, leading to longer illnesses, higher medical costs, and increased risk of severe complications or death.

Our researchers partnered with West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board to develop evidence-based campaigns to improve prescribing in general practice. The programme provides regular feedback to practices, comparing prescribing rates with others and offering guidance for improvement.

The programme has reached over 1,000 practices across Yorkshire and North East England, delivering significant improvements:

Antibiotic Prescribing:
• 21.5% reduction in overall antibiotic prescribing in Humber and North Yorkshire.
• 13.3% reduction in antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory infections in West Yorkshire.

Asthma Care:
• 2,440 fewer patients prescribed excessive amounts of inhalers.
• 933 fewer patients prescribed very high amounts of inhalers .
• Contributed to reducing the NHS carbon footprint.

Opioid Prescribing:
• 1.9% decline in overall opioid prescribing.
• 1.5% decline in strong opioid prescribing.

The program has shown system-wide benefit that include cost savings through reduced unnecessary prescribing and improved patient safety by reducing harmful prescribing. West Yorkshire ICB estimates that this initiative has saved approximately £700,000 direct prescribing costs over one year across West Yorkshire.

It meets NHS priorities of fighting antimicrobial resistance and environmental sustainability, demonstrating integration of research evidence into NHS practice and collaboration between YH ARC and Integrated Care Systems.