Tackling antibiotic resistance is a major global health challenge. Overusing antibiotics in healthcare leads to drug resistance, meaning these vital medicines stop working. Most antibiotics are prescribed in primary care settings like GP practices.
The ARC Yorkshire and Humber funded Lowering Anti-Microbial Prescribing (LAMP) project provides GP practices across Yorkshire with regular feedback comparing their antibiotic prescribing rates to other practices. This prompts them to reflect on and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.
Since 2019, LAMP has reached over 500 practices across West and North Yorkshire. Overall antibiotic prescribing has fallen by 24% in West Yorkshire, likely preventing thousands of antibiotic courses annually. Reducing antibiotic overuse protects these lifesaving medicines for future generations.
The LAMP model is inexpensive, can be scaled up and applied to other prescribing priorities. It shows how providing GP practices with comparative data can drive positive change in a large healthcare system.
