To support World Antibiotic Awareness Week (18-24 November) this year, a local Antibiotic Amnesty is being held to encourage people to return their unused or old antibiotics to any local pharmacy. This will be run as a regional public health campaign by pharmacies.
Key messages for the campaign include:
- Only take antibiotics when they have been prescribed for you by a healthcare professional.
- Taking antibiotics when they may not be needed, or taking the wrong kind of antibiotic for your condition can increase the risk of antibiotic resistance and is a huge threat to our future health.
- Unless a healthcare professional has specifically told you to you should never save antibiotics for later, and never give them to someone else.
- When you are prescribed antibiotics you should always complete the course; even if you feel better before you have finished them
Patients are being asked to return unused or old antibiotics to any local pharmacy.