Antimicrobial stewardship: systems and processes for effective antimicrobial medicine use

Health and social care practitioners (a term used to define the wider care team of hospital staff [including microbiologists and infection control staff], community matrons and case managers, GPs, dentists, podiatrists, pharmacists and community nurses [including those staff working in out‑of‑hours services], domiciliary care workers and care home staff [registered nurses and social care practitioners working in care homes], social workers and case managers).

Organisations commissioning (for example, clinical commissioning groups or local authorities), providing or supporting the provision of care (for example, national or professional bodies, directors of public health, health and wellbeing boards, healthcare trusts and locum agencies).

Adults, young people and children (including neonates) using antimicrobials or those caring for these groups. This includes people and organisations involved with the prescribing and management of antimicrobials in health and social care settings.

The guideline may also be relevant to individual people and organisations delivering non‑NHS healthcare services, and to other devolved administrations.

specific clinical conditions (although some evidence identified included patients with a specific infection such as community acquired pneumonia)

named medicines

public health awareness of antimicrobial resistance

research into new antimicrobials

immunisation and vaccination

antimicrobial household cleaning products

antimicrobial use in animals

hand hygiene, decolonisation and infection prevention and control measures

medicines adherence, except where there are specific issues for health and social care practitioners to address relating to antimicrobials

access to medicines, including local decision‑making for medicines not included on local formularies

medicines shortages, including supply issues and discontinued medicines

prescription charges

waste medicines.