Antibiotic prescribing monitoring
Vale of Leven Inquiry · The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · Issued 24 November 2014 · Addressed to: Scottish Government
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
Scottish Government should monitor the implementation of policies and/or guidance on antibiotic prescribing issued in connection with healthcare associated infection.
Vale of Leven Inquiry, The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · 24 Nov 2014 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- The Scottish Government's response outlined the HAI Taskforce's role in developing antimicrobial prescribing guidelines and the Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance in Scotland (CARS) programme, which monitors prescribing practices across NHS boards.
- The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG) provides national leadership on antimicrobial stewardship, including guidelines, monitoring, and reporting. NHS board antimicrobial management teams drive implementation locally.
- The HCAI Strategy 2023-2025 includes antimicrobial resistance as a key priority, with surveillance and stewardship programmes ensuring that implementation of antibiotic prescribing guidance is monitored (Scottish HCAI Strategy 2023-2025 (https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-healthcare-associated-infection-hcai-strategy-2023-2025/)).
- ARHAI Scotland provides national surveillance data on antimicrobial resistance and prescribing patterns to support policy implementation.
Response — verbatim from government
●Scottish Government
Section 2.1 of the Scottish Government's response details several mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of antibiotic prescribing policies. The HAI Taskforce established the Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance in Scotland Group to oversee activity and produce outcome measures for the Scottish Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan 2014-18. Furthermore, the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group works with NHS board teams to maintain stewardship activities, and its reports, such as the January 2015 publication, provide figures on decreases in antibiotic prescriptions, demonstrating ongoing monitoring of prescribing practices.
Scottish Government · 18 Jun 2015 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
- 1 Jan 2025 · SAPG / Public Health Scotland SAPG monitors implementation of antibiotic prescribing policies nationally. Prescribing data published through Public Health Scotland. By January 2015 SAPG reported 5.4% decrease in primary care antibiotic prescriptions and 12.7% reduction in antibiotics that increase C. difficile risk. View source → Good Progress
- 1 Mar 2015 · Scottish Government Scottish Government monitoring implementation of antibiotic prescribing policies. Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group report (January 2015) showed 5.4% decrease in primary care antibiotic prescriptions and 12.7% reduction in antibiotics that increase C. difficile risk (2013 vs 2012). View source → Reasonable Progress
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.