A “national survey” into healthcare professionals’ knowledge about AMR and antibiotic prescribing has revealed that “levels of knowledge were lowest among pharmacy technicians” while the knowledge of “medical doctors” and pharmacists “was highest”.
Led by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and published last month (November 19) in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (JAC), it showed that 72% of pharmacists answered all of seven “knowledge questions” correctly – second only to doctors at 75%.
But the study found that both “perceived knowledge” and “overall knowledge” on AMR “tended to be...lowest in pharmacy technicians”.
Read more: Pharmacy First: Report reveals ‘no change’ to UTI antibiotic resistance
It revealed that only 37% of pharmacy technicians answered all “knowledge questions” correctly – the lowest all professions surveyed, which included doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists and dietitians.
Researchers surveyed just under 3,000 UK healthcare professionals in March 2024 with pharmacists forming 25% of respondents, the report said.
“Not surprising”
The survey also found that “knowledge that individuals treated with antibiotics are at risk of a resistant infection” was highest among nurses and pharmacists – at 88% and 87% respectively – but lowest among pharmacy technicians at 78%.
And it showed that while “less than half” of healthcare professionals were aware of the UK’s national action plan for AMR, pharmacists had the highest “levels of awareness”.
When it came to opportunities “to provide patients with advice on prudent antibiotic use” and having “easy access to guidelines on managing infections”, levels were again “highest among medical doctors and pharmacists” but lowest among pharmacy technicians, it found.
Read more: Pharmacy First to be ‘closely monitored’ for antimicrobial resistance risk
And when questioned about “healthy people carrying resistant bacteria”, knowledge was “generally high except among pharmacy technicians”, it showed.
It is “not surprising” that “levels of knowledge were lowest among pharmacy technicians” due to “differences in level and duration of training for pharmacy technicians compared with medical doctors and pharmacists whose knowledge was highest”, the report said.
It stressed, however, that “raising the baseline level of knowledge among pharmacy technicians is important due to the important role they play in controlling AMR”.
“Major misconceptions”
UKHSA lead pharmacist for healthcare-associated infections and AMR Diane Ashiru-Oredope last week (Dec 4) said that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have a “vital role to play in promoting a responsible use of antibiotics” and “educating people”.
But she added that “it is a concern that many do not feel they have a key role to play in tackling the problem” and that “some major misconceptions about AMR persist”.
Read more: Pharmacy sore throat services provide antibiotics less than GPs, study reveals
It comes after UKHSA last month revealed that there has been “no change in resistance” to a common urinary tract infection (UTI) antibiotic following its introduction to the Pharmacy First service.
Meanwhile, the National Audit Office (NAO) announced in February that the UK remains “a long way from” plans made to “control, contain and mitigate” AMR, noting that the government has made “limited progress”.
