The final objective Seven of the Australian strategy focuses on strengthening AMS governance at local, regional and national levels to ensure leadership, engagement and accountability for actions taken to combat antimicrobial resistance. A coordinated effort from a wide range of participants is required.  Engaging participants at the frontline of antibiotic prescribing will be an important step in meeting these objectives.

Priority areas for this objective include:

• Establishing lines of responsibility across all sectors
• Aligning and strengthening relevant regulations
• Collaborative work with stakeholders to develop and implement strategies
• Improving standardised prescriber training and practice
• Establishing reliable measures for monitoring and evaluation of programs

With regard to Hunter New England Health and other northern NSW health districts, AIMED would love to hear your views concerning the National Strategy and its implementation- please comment below.  

The current governance approach within HNE is still developing. See also national Objective 2 discussion.   Key HNE approaches include: 

• District level:  
  • Leadership – Medical Lead with District Pharmacy support.
  • District antimicrobial guideline development/endorsement involving all relevant stakeholders.  See Pathology North clinical guideline reference page.
  • Restricted anti-infective indications –  Clinical Excellence Commission classifications for restricted antimicrobials have been endorsed
  • Implementation– exploration of practice models that facilitate/support local clinicians  to take lead roles in AMS.
  • Standardised measurement of antibiotic resistance and usage (focused on third generation cephalosporins and quinolones).   Cumulative antibiogram production.
• Regional Sector and Hospital level AMS :
  • Manager responsibility – as per ACSQHC Standard 3.14 element below.
  • Clinician involvement and leadership- audit and review of antimicrobial prescribing
  • Inclusion of AMS as an agenda item within all Infection Prevention Committees including reporting of key performance indicators

Excerpt from the Australian Safety and Quality Accreditation Standards, Standard 3, Healthcare-associated Infection, 2012 which has been mandated across all Australian hospitals.