Superheroes unite at Wakefield hospital to battle antibiotic misuse

Every year, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week takes place from November 18 to November 24.

This year, its theme is Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together, and the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust has recruited the help of some well-known faces to raise the profile of the week.

Superman and the Justice League will be working together to achieve “Justice 4 Antibiotics”, with any visitors to Pinderfields Hospital able to stop and take a selfie with their stand-in superhero cut-out board.The aim of this international week is to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance which occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.The trust’s consultant antimicrobial pharmacist and director of innovation, Dr Stuart Bond, said: “As antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent global health threats, we’re using this week to ask people to make a pledge to become an antibiotic guardian, to cut unnecessary use of antibiotics.“Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them puts you and your family at risk and when it comes to defeating antimicrobial resistance, prevention is key.

"Protect yourself and your family by doing your best to stay healthy – cleaning hands, covering coughs, staying home when sick and getting recommended vaccines, such as flu and covid.“Only use antibiotics when prescribed and remember to complete the full course. Don’t save them for later, nor share them with others.

“Our ‘Justice 4 Antibiotics’ campaign aims to raise awareness of this important week, whilst emphasising the need for us to work together to encourage the prudent use of antimicrobials and the preventative measures required to fight it.”Throughout the week, the Trust will be sharing key messages from the campaign, alongside videos and photos of teams and individuals pledging to keep antibiotics working.

Antibiotic Guardian pledges can be made at https://antibioticguardian.com.