Paediatric hospital antimicrobial guidelines: a national UK review

Paediatric inpatient antimicrobial prescribing is frequently inappropriate and varies markedly and unnecessarily across the UK between tertiary centres, district general hospitals and even between clinicians in individual hospitals.1 Antimicrobial guidelines have been frequently mentioned by clinicians in the UK as informing paediatric antibiotic prescribing practice.2 Guidelines are more likely to be used by clinicians if they are evidence based, rigorously produced and shown to improve outcomes.3 The UK Paediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship (UK-PAS) network therefore aims to reach national consensus by publishing an antimicrobial summary for hospitals with nationwide input from paediatric infectious disease (PID) experts. However, little is known about the current nature and quality of paediatric antimicrobial guidelines across the UK. National Health Service (NHS) trusts in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland responsible for the treatment of children were identified, and a freedom of information request was made for their paediatric...

Source: Archives of Disease in Childhood - October 30, 2023 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Shears, A., Hoskyns, L., Flinders, P., Conry, R., McMaster, P., UK-PAS Committee, Channon-Wells, Demirjian, Doerholt, Drysdale, Hatcher, Hindocha, Emonts, Patel, Rafferty, Ferras-Antolin, Trivedi, Vergano, Verma Tags: PostScript Source Type: research