Keeping the fight against antimicrobial resistance alive and celebrating global achievements

Monday 30 November 2020

The fifth Antibiotic Guardian awards took place Thursday 26 November to celebrate the work of healthcare professionals across the UK and worldwide in tackling antimicrobial resistance. These awards form part of the ongoing Antibiotic Guardian campaign, led by Public Health England in collaboration with UK devolved administrations and professional bodies.

The Antibiotic Guardian campaign aims to increase commitment and raise awareness among the public and healthcare professionals about how we can slow the development of resistant bacteria and prevent the overuse and unnecessary use of antibiotics.

Without effective antibiotics many routine treatments including surgery and chemotherapy will become increasingly dangerous and currently treatable infections will become difficult or even impossible to treat.

As part of the campaign, groups including students and educators, farmers, families, veterinary, medical, nursing and pharmacy professionals and local and national organisations can sign up to become Antibiotic Guardians by choosing a pledge on the dedicated website.

The evening was held virtually this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the attendees have been contributing to the COVID-19 response whilst remaining committed to tackling antimicrobial resistance.

The event was attended by colleagues based in health organisations across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, as well as several other countries in Europe, Africa, the Americas, India and Asia, highlighting the international reach of the Antibiotic Guardian campaign and the dedication worldwide to overcoming this global challenge.

Award categories included Animal Health, Agriculture and Food Supply, Children and Family, Community Communications, Diagnostic Stewardship, Infection Prevention and Control, Innovation and Technology, Prescribing and Stewardship, Public Engagement, Research, Multi-Country Collaboration, Student of the Year and the Das Pillay Memorial Award.

Dr Haileyesus Getahun, Director of Antimicrobial Resistance, Global Coordination and Partnership, WHO was honorary guest for the evening and presented the multi-country collaboration awards alongside Dr Diane Ashiru-Oredope (Lead for the Antibiotic Guardian campaign and Lead Pharmacist for the AMR Programme at Public Health England). As part of his speech Dr Getahun reminded participants that “Antimicrobial resistance is invisible, but it’s impact is far reaching. Remember, you are winners and champions irrespective of the results tonight”

Dr Keith Ridge, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer through his pre-recorded message thanked everyone for their contributions to the COVID-19 response and for continuing to work on tackling antimicrobial resistance.

Dr Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, was unable to join on the night, but sent the following message:

“Good infection prevention control practice has never been so important: and it is by all our continued commitment to standards of excellence in this area that we will be able to see a reduction in the rate that Covid-19 is spreading. My congratulations to the winner: Makerere University School of Public Health and Highly Commended: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust of this year’s IPC award, also I’d like to pay special thanks to all IPC specialist practitioners and everyone leading the battle against AMR.”

Following a judging and peer review process of more than 100 entries (including 30 international), winners announced on the night included Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children – winners of the Innovation & Technology award for the development of a bespoke AMS module using electronic patient records. Boots UK Ltd, in Prescribing & Stewardship for their patient-centred approach to antimicrobial stewardship through the development of a test and treat service for women with urinary tract infections (UTIs). University of Leeds collected the award for best research project for their efforts in reducing antibiotic prescribing during urgent dental appointments.

Alongside these, other notable winners were North Park Veterinary Group Ltd who received the Animal Health, Agriculture & Food Supply Award for their project reducing prophylactic use of antibiotics in lambs.

International winners on the night included DRASA (Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh) Health Trust who won the children and family category for empowering secondary school students to become powerful change agents against antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria. Healthcare Communications and Social Media South Africa were winners of the community communications category for their powerful social media campaign promoting antibiotic resistance advocacy and stewardship. There were yet more examples of global collaboration and success demonstrated in the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association and Tropical Health and Education Trust’s winning project which focused on using behaviour change to optimise medicines.

The healthcare student of the year award was given to two joint winners this year, Daniel Kariuki Waruingi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya and Chioma Achi, University of Cambridge.

The awards also recognise innovation in the field of antimicrobial stewardship at a junior level with the Das Pillay Antimicrobial Stewardship Memorial Award, won by Bee Yean Ng from Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, an early career pharmacist.

A brilliant night celebrating the achievements of organisations and individuals working tirelessly to help combat antibiotic resistance and protect antibiotics.

Dr Diane Ashiru-Oredope, Lead for the Antibiotic Guardian campaign, said:

“The Antibiotic Guardian awards, now in its fifth year, continue to provide us with an excellent opportunity for us to champion organisations and individuals who have demonstrated achievement in their work to tackle antimicrobial resistance, one of biggest global public health threats we face. These awards have highlighted the wealth of fantastic work taking place across the country and abroad. This year, we were delighted to receive 30 entries from colleagues outside the UK, highlighting the important global collaborations. I’d like to personally congratulate all the nominees and winners for their contributions. At Public Health England we will continue to support and work with partners across the health system to tackle antimicrobial resistance.”

You can find out more about the shortlisted entries through their abstracts, videos and posters available here

List of winners, highly commended and commended

Animal health, Agriculture and Food Supply

Winner: North Park Veterinary Group Ltd

Children & Family

Winner: DRASA (Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh) Health Trust

Highly Commended: Pfizer Ltd

Commended: Ducit Blue Foundation

Community Communications

Winner: Healthcare Communications and Social Media South Africa

Highly Commended: PHE East of England and HCAI & AMR Division

Commended: Serufusa Inc.

Diagnostic Stewardship

Winner: NHS Somerset Foundation Trust

Highly Commended: Wirral University Teaching Hospital

Infection Prevention and Control

Winner: Makerere University School of Public Health

Highly Commended: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Innovation & Technology

Winner: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

Highly Commended: Nottingham Trent University

Commended: Belfast Heath and Social Care Trust

Commended: Jamii Medical Awareness (JMA)

Multi-Country Collaboration

Winner: Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) and Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET)

Highly Commended: European Wound Management Association

Highly Commended: University of Salford

Commended: Makerere University School of Public Health

Prescribing & Stewardship

Winner: Boots UK Ltd

Highly Commended: West Hampshire CCG

Highly Commended: Royal Pharmaceutical Society Commended: Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital

Public Engagement

Winner: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (Nosocomial)

Highly Commended: NHS Leeds CCG

Commended: Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS)

Research

Winner: University of Leeds

Highly Commended: University College Dublin

Student of the Year

Winner: Chioma Achi, University of Cambridge

Winner: Daniel Kariuki Waruingi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Das Pillay Memorial Antimicrobial Stewardship Award

Winner: Bee Yean Ng, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Highly Commended: Balram Rathish, Aster Medcity, Kochi, India