The number of deaths linked to Superbugs that do not respond to frontline antibiotics increased by 17% in England last year, according to official figures as antimicrobial resistance continues to rise.
The figures, released by the UK Health Security Agency, also reveal a significant increase in private prescriptions for antibiotics, with 22% being provided by the private sector by 2024.
The increase in private reservations is partly explained by the pharmacy formula, a flagship policy that allows patients to prepare the standards.
“Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest health threats we face,” said UKHSA Chief Executive, Prof Susan Hopkins. “More people than acquire infections that are not effectively treated with antibiotics. This puts them at greater risk of serious illness and even death, with our poorest communities hit the hardest.”
The emergence of drug-resistant strains is an inevitable consequence of natural selection. When the drugs are used they wipe out some bugs, but any survivors multiply and are transmitted.
Limiting the use of antibiotics to when they are most needed is one of the most effective ways to combat the spread of resistance, which is predicted to be the cause As many as 10 million deaths a year throughout 2050.
The most recent surveillance data found that the number of antibiotic infections in 2024 corresponds to an average of almost 400 newly reported cases a week.
Bacteraemia cases due to antibiotic withdrawal – a life-threatening condition where bacteria circulate in the blood – from 20,740 to 20,484, a 9.3% increase. The estimated number of deaths among people with a resistant infection is from 2,041 in 2023 to 2,379 in 2024, a 17% increase.
Antibiotic use in NHS care will decrease between 2019 and 2024, while private dispensing in community pharmacies will more than double. Overall primary care antibiotic use across the NHS and private sector rose by 10.7% over the five-year period.
“It’s positive that we’re seeing ANTIBINIF GAME FIRD in England within the NHS but we need to go further, faster,” said Hopkins.
“Please remember to only take antibiotics if you have been told to do so by a healthcare professional. Do not save some for later or share them with friends and family. If you have leftover antibiotics, please bring them to a pharmacy for appropriate disposal.”
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UKHSA data provides insights into the pharmacy formulary, designed to free up GPS to solve more complex health problems.
It allows for seven common conditions including Earache, Sinusitis, a sore throat, infected in pharmacies, which in 85% of consultations depending on the condition being treated.
“While the increase in antibiotic supply through the pharmacy service is important, it should be interpreted carefully and in the context of wider changes in how patients are accessed. The service follows established good guidance on appropriate prescribing, it said.