NHS Devon reminds people to use antibiotics wisely
NHS Devon has reminded people of the importance of using antibiotics wisely.
Antibiotics Awareness Day takes place on 18 November and Jackie Morse, head of health protection at NHS Devon, has backed the European campaign which encourages responsible use of antibiotics.
Jackie said people should never take antibiotics without a prescription from a doctor or medical professional as may be dangerous and could make them feel even worse.
“Antibiotics are effective only against bacterial infections and will not work if a cold or flu is making you feel under the weather,” he said.
“In fact antibiotics may even cause unpleasant side effects such as sickness or diarrhoea.”
She also said people could risk becoming resistant to antibiotics if they don’t use them correctly.
“Resistance to antibiotics is increasingly becoming a serious problem in many countries,” he said. “In fact most resistance rates have more than doubled in the past five years.
“We can all play a part in helping to ensure our bodies do not become resistant to antibiotics by always completing a course of antibiotics as instructed by the GP and never skipping doses or saving them for later.”
Pharmacies also provide a range of health services and advice, including medication for common complaints like coughs, colds, aches and pains and other health issues, such as healthy eating, sexual health and giving up smoking.
People don’t even need to make an appointment and a pharmacist is usually available to spend some time with them.
More information on Antibiotics Awareness Day is here: http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/EAAD/Pages/Home.aspx/
