Quality standard

Quality statement 1: Advice on self-limiting conditions

Quality statement 1: Advice on self-limiting conditions

Quality statement

People with a self-limiting condition, as assessed by a primary care prescriber, receive advice about self‑management and adverse consequences of overusing antimicrobials.

Rationale

People with common colds, sore throat, flu, otitis media and other self‑limiting conditions may not know that they are likely to get better without treatment and they may expect to be prescribed an antimicrobial. Primary care prescribers should manage people's expectations by describing the adverse consequences of using antimicrobials when they are not needed, both for the person and the population as a whole. They should also give advice on what the person can do to help their condition improve (self‑management).

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Structure

a) Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that people with a self‑limiting condition, as assessed by a primary care prescriber, receive advice about self-management and adverse consequences of overusing antimicrobials.

Data source: Local data collection.

b) Evidence of local arrangements to promote self-management of self‑limiting conditions and raise awareness of risks associated with overusing antimicrobials.

Data source: Local data collection.

Process

a) Proportion of presentations in primary care assessed as a self‑limiting condition with a record stating that advice about self‑management was given.

Numerator – the number in the denominator with a record stating that advice about self‑management was given.

Denominator – the number of presentations in primary care assessed as a self‑limiting condition.

Data source: Local data collection and the Royal College of General Practitioners TARGET antibiotics toolkit.

b) Proportion of presentations in primary care assessed as a self‑limiting condition with a record stating that advice about the adverse consequences of overusing antimicrobials was given.

Numerator – the number in the denominator with a record stating that advice about the adverse consequences of overusing antimicrobials was given.

Denominator – the number of presentations in primary care assessed as a self‑limiting condition.

Data source: Local data collection.

Outcome

Antimicrobial prescribing rates in primary care.

Data source: Local data collection.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (such as GP practices, health centres, pharmacies, community services) ensure that systems are in place for people with a self‑limiting condition to receive advice about self‑management and the adverse consequences of overusing antimicrobials.

Prescribers in primary care (such as GPs, nurses and pharmacists) ensure that they provide people with a self‑limiting condition with advice on self‑management and the adverse consequences of overusing antimicrobials.

Commissioners ensure that they commission services that provide people with a self‑limiting condition with advice on self‑management and the adverse consequences of overusing antimicrobials.

People with a condition that is likely to get better on its own (such as cold, flu, earache or tonsillitis) who go to a GP, practice nurse or pharmacist are given advice on what they can do to help their condition improve and why it's important only to use antimicrobials when they are really needed.

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Self-limiting condition

A condition that resolves on its own and has no long-term harmful effect on a person's health (assuming that they are not immunosuppressed). Examples include colds, flu, oral thrush and winter vomiting bugs. [NICE's guideline on antimicrobial stewardship: changing risk-related behaviours in the general population, terms used in this guideline]

Advice for people with self-limiting conditions

Prescribers should discuss with the person and/or their family members or carers (as appropriate):

  • the likely nature of the condition

  • why prescribing an antimicrobial may not be the best option

  • alternative options to prescribing an antimicrobial

  • their views on antimicrobials, taking into account their priorities or concerns about their current illness and whether they want or expect an antimicrobial

  • the benefits and harms of immediate antimicrobial prescribing

  • how long they should expect the symptoms of their self‑limiting condition to last

  • what they should do if their condition gets worse (safety netting advice) or if they have problems as a result of treatment

  • what they can do to minimise spreading the infection to others (such as good hand hygiene).

[NICE's guideline on antimicrobial stewardship: systems and processes for effective antimicrobial medicine use, recommendation 1.1.31 and expert opinion]

Equality and diversity considerations

Healthcare professionals may need to consider how to advise people who have difficulties understanding the information given to them because of difficulty in understanding English or cognitive impairment.