Pharmacy First Data Included in AMR Report for the First Time
The UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has for the first time included data from Pharmacy First. The data, published on November 13, 2025, in the 'English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance' report for 2024/2025, reveals significant insights into antibiotic usage and resistance.
In 2024, 80% of antimicrobials were prescribed in primary care, with 4% of these prescriptions issued through Pharmacy First. During the first 11 months of the Pharmacy First service, from February to December 2024, over 1.2 million antimicrobial items were dispensed. The most common antimicrobials dispensed under the Pharmacy First service were phenoxymethylpenicillin (37%), nitrofurantoin (36%), flucloxacillin (12%), and amoxicillin (7%).
Despite a decrease in NHS antibiotic prescribing levels in 2024 compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, private dispensing in community pharmacies has more than doubled since 2019. This shift has led to an overall 11% increase in primary care antibiotic use between 2019 and 2024, with 22% of antibiotics dispensed through the private sector in 2024.
The UKHSA report also highlights a concerning rise in antibiotic-resistant infections, which increased by 13% between 2019 and 2024, with 20,484 cases reported in 2024. This equates to nearly 400 cases per week. People living in the most deprived communities face a 47% higher rate of resistant bacteraemia compared to those in the least deprived areas.
Diane Ashiru-Oredope, lead pharmacist for healthcare-associated infections and AMR at the UKHSA, emphasizes the crucial role of pharmacy professionals in tackling AMR and managing infections. She states, 'Pharmacy professionals across all sectors are essential partners in tackling AMR and managing infections. They play a key role in ensuring appropriate antibiotic use, including prescribing or issuing through Pharmacy First, and in screening prescriptions.'
The 'Keep antibiotics working' campaign will be launched again during World AMR Awareness Week, which begins on November 18, 2025. Ashiru-Oredope stresses the importance of public awareness, encouraging them not to use antibiotics when not needed, to listen to healthcare professionals, and to dispose of medicines safely through pharmacy teams.
The disparity in antibiotic-resistant infections between deprived and non-deprived areas is also discussed. Ashiru-Oredope notes that the data reveals no difference in disparities for other health conditions, such as diabetes, highlighting broader issues that may be causing these disparities. However, she emphasizes the responsibility to take actions to support these groups.
The UKHSA is working on a national action plan for AMR health inequalities, collaborating with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. Ashiru-Oredope mentions that the agency will increase data and its granularity on disparities to understand where to focus attention and develop interventions. This includes systematic reviews and a toolkit to support healthcare professionals in taking action.
