How we did it : developing an antibiotic policy

Abstract

Development of an antibiotic policy for the hospitals within the Malta Governmental Health Services followed a considerable degree of discussion, correspondence and meetings lasting several years. These centred on a wider perspective encompassing not only publication of a list of guidelines but also a broad-based approach towards sensible antibiotic prescribing. The need to improve antimicrobial prescribing, particularly in the main tertiary hospital – St. Luke’s Hospital - had long been presented to the Health Department as well as the Drugs and Therapeutic Committee (DTC). A persistent increase in multi-resistant isolates had been evident throughout the previous year, culminating in Meticilin-resistant S. aureus MRSA proliferation to one of the highest incidences in Europe. Nevertheless our initiatives did not have the hoped for impact. [Excerpt from the Introduction]