Antimicrobial stewardship

What is Antimicrobial Stewardship?

Antimicrobial Stewardship programs are run by a team of health professionals within hospitals and health care settings and involve a range of activities and strategies that optimise antimicrobial use and decrease antimicrobial resistance.

These activities can include:

• auditing the use of antimicrobials
• providing feedback and advice to health professionals on alternative options to antimicrobials
• overseeing and managing antimicrobials
• monitoring antimicrobial prescribing patterns to identify trends and areas for improvement
• raising awareness on antimicrobial resistance.

Our Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard requires all health service organisations to have an Antimicrobial Stewardship program.

Our Antimicrobial Stewardship in Australian Health Care book provides detailed advice and steps on running AMS programs.

We also provide resources to help health services successfully implement their Antimicrobial Stewardship programs and meet the requirements of our Preventing and Controlling Infections Standards and Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Care Standard. 

Why is Antimicrobial Stewardship important?

Inappropriate use of antimicrobials contribute to antimicrobial resistance, where microorganisms develop the ability to survive exposure to antimicrobial agents.

People who have infections caused by antimicrobial resistant microorganisms are more likely to experience ineffective treatment, recurrent infection, delayed recovery, or even death. 

Antimicrobial Stewardship programs help to decrease inappropriate antimicrobial use and prevent and contain antimicrobial resistance.
 

Antimicrobial Stewardship in primary care 

The primary care sector has an important role to play in improving the safe and appropriate use of antimicrobials and reducing patient harm and risk of antimicrobial resistance in Australia.

There are a range of resources available to support AMS implementation and antimicrobial use in primary care settings.

Antimicrobial Stewardship and children

Antimicrobial Stewardship is important in the care of children because antimicrobials can have long term consequences for their health.

Antimicrobials are often inappropriately prescribed for children and at higher rates than other age groups. Studies have shown almost 40% of antimicrobial prescriptions for children are not prescribed in accordance with clinical guidelines. Early antibiotic exposure is associated with increased risk of chronic disease later in life, such as allergy, atopic dermatitis, coeliac disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Resources and links for Antimicrobial Stewardship program support

There are a range of Australian and international resources to support antimicrobial stewardship programs in health service organisations, aged care and primary care. 

Online learning modules

The Commission has a range of online learning modules on antimicrobials, aimed at prescribers in their early stages of clinical practice, nurse practitioners, hospital pharmacists, and university students. The modules address specific areas where antimicrobial use in hospitals and primary care settings can be supported to further improve prescribing practices. 

Access our online learning modules
 

AMR Awareness activities

World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is a global campaign to raise awareness and improve understanding on AMR and promote best practices to reduce the spread of AMR. It is celebrated from 18 – 24 November each year.

We support WAAW by providing resources and coordinating initiatives across the week. 

We have a range of resources and links to support World AMR Awareness Week in Australia.