Vets urged by charity to become Antibiotic Guardians
“AMR is a complex global issue that everyone must work together to tackle” –
The charity RCVS Knowledge is encouraging veterinary professionals to become Antibiotic Guardians in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
CPD courses are available on the RCVS Knowledge Learn training platform, with specialist courses for companion animals, equine, small mammals, avians, and exotics.
Any member of a veterinary team can take the courses and will be awarded an Antibiotic Guardian certificate at one of four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
To help reduce AMR, the charity wants every companion animal and equine veterinary practice in the UK to contain a member of the team who has been awarded a gold-level Antibiotic Guardian certificate.
On the courses, learners are taught how to encourage responsible antibiotic use, how to manage specific conditions with and without antibiotics, and how to introduce stewardship measures.
The charity runs a separate Farm Vet Champions scheme for veterinary professionals who work with farm animals.
Fergus Allerton, clinical lead for medicines at RCVS Knowledge, said: “AMR is a complex global issue that everyone must work together to tackle. Our CPD course on responsible antibiotic use was created by veterinary professionals, for veterinary professionals, and will help you to learn all the stewardship essentials.
“Becoming an Antibiotic Guardian will give you the skills and the confidence to make responsible decisions when using antibiotics, and help your colleagues do the same.
“If every veterinary practice in the UK has just one Gold Antibiotic Guardian, this will prompt important conversations among colleagues and translate into meaningful changes in our prescribing habits. Together we can make a real difference.”
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Joanne Webster, a professor of parasitic diseases at the RVC, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
