GPs wrote over one million fewer prescriptions for antibiotics, latest data shows

GPs have substantially reduced the number of antibiotics prescribed, according to a Government report on progress towards tackling antimicrobial resistance.

Figures show 1.1 million fewer antibiotic prescriptions were dispensed from general practice in England in 2023 to 2024 compared with the previous year.

It equates to a reduction of 3.2% on 34 million prescriptions, equivalent to a £6.3 million reduction in annual antibiotic drug expenditure, the one-year progress report towards the national AMR action plan, said.

The Government has set a target to reduce total antibiotic use in human populations by 5% from the 2019 baseline by 2029.

A report from the National Audit Office published in February found that ‘limited progress’ had been made by the Government in achieving its vision of containing antimicrobial resistance, the public spending watchdog has warned. 

While it was taking the problem ‘seriously’, with AMR identified as one of 26 chronic national risks, it remained ‘a long way away’ from meeting its goals, it concluded.

The latest progress report looking at the first year of the 2024-29 updated plan, found that total antibiotic prescribing in hospitals decreased by 1.4% from 2023 to 2024 with a 4.85% drop in days spent on intravenous antibiotics.

Work has also been happening on identifying the ‘current barriers and potential solutions’ to infection diagnostics being used more widely within the NHS

One area that officials had been particularly concerned about was an increase in antibiotic prescribing seen in children in the post-pandemic period.

By the middle of 2023, 39% of children under ten had received an antibiotic in the past year – partly thought to relate to more relaxed prescribing due to a Strep A outbreak.

But separate figures seen by Pulse shows this has been falling month on month and is currently at 29% for the whole of England.

There is an NHS target for this to reach 27% or lower for all ICBs.

Recent NICE guidance recommended that babies and children between three months and 11 years of age with pneumonia should be offered a three-day course of antibiotics rather than five days.

The shorter course has been shown to be just as effective and it will also promote efforts to reduce overuse of antibiotics, NICE said.

Last year researchers warned that more than 39 million people around the world could die from antibiotic-resistant infections over the next 25 years.

Professor Azeem Majeed, a GP and professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London said: ‘The reduction of 1.1 million antibiotic prescriptions in general practice in 2023–24 is very welcome and reflects the sustained efforts of GPs and primary care teams.

‘It shows that, despite the pressures faced in general practice, clinicians are being more cautious about antibiotic use, aiming to focus on prescribing only when there will be clear benefit.’

He said the trend in antibiotic prescribing in children is also encouraging.

‘There was an increase in antibiotic prescribing for children when pandemic control measures ended, driven by factors such as outbreaks of group A streptococcus infections, changes in consultation patterns and parental concerns.

‘Prescribing of antibiotics in under-10-year-olds is now falling again, which suggests that general practices are successfully supporting parents and carers in managing minor infections without antibiotics.’

He added that continued progress would depend on maintaining strong antimicrobial stewardship programmes and clear communication with patients.

Dr Adrian Hayter, medical director for clinical policy at the RCGP, said: ‘We recognise that GPs take their responsibility for antimicrobial stewardship very seriously and we recognise that there is a potential for children to receive an antibiotic when they may not need one for simple viral illnesses.

‘The skill, however, which occurs in everyday general practice is for GPs to follow the course of an illness and identify serious illness and identify when antibiotics should be used to reduce the risk of serious complications.’

He added the College supports GPs with resources including the TARGET (Treat Antibiotics Responsibly Guidance Education and Tools) toolkit hub.

‘The reduction in prescribing has also been supported by giving shorter courses through new medication policy – moving towards five day courses rather than seven days – as well as the more targeted prescriptions.’