Stewardship simply means using antibiotics carefully: only when they are needed, at the right dose, for the right length of time. It is why your doctor sometimes says an infection will get better on its own, or gives you a backup prescription to collect only if you are not improving.
Antibiotics kill bacteria they work against, while any resistant bacteria survive, multiply and spread. The more antibiotics are used, the more resistant infections become, which makes common operations, childbirth and cancer treatment riskier for everyone.
Stewardship does not mean avoiding antibiotics altogether. Some people need them for longer courses or to prevent infections, for example after certain cancers, chemotherapy, organ or bone marrow transplants, or with other conditions that weaken the immune system. If you have been told to take antibiotics in this way, keep following your specialist's advice and speak to them before making any changes.
If antibiotics are thrown in the bin or flushed down the loo, they can end up in rivers, in the sea and in the water we all share. Tiny amounts of antibiotic in water give bacteria a chance to get used to them, and the bacteria that survive become harder to kill. That means the medicines may work less well when any of us really needs them.
Taking them back to a pharmacy keeps antibiotics out of the water and makes sure they are disposed of safely. It costs nothing, and every box matters.
The standards the NHS works to for prescribing antibiotics.
National surveillance, guidance and the Keep Antibiotics Working campaign.
Free public education resources about infection and antibiotics.
Advice for patients on uses, side effects and when to speak to a doctor.
The Government's strategy for tackling resistance.
Overview, fact sheets and information for patients.
The worldwide strategy countries have signed up to.
How health systems should manage antibiotic use.
Annual campaign materials every November.
The Access / Watch / Reserve classification behind how antibiotics are chosen.