Antibiotic resistance is rising. What can aged care teams do?
For a resident with an infection, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can mean fewer effective treatment options. To mark World AMR Awareness Week, 18–24 November 2026, our November EzyNews looks at what teams in residential and supported aged care can do to prevent infections and keep antimicrobials effective.
In 2024, 23.2 million antibiotic prescriptions were supplied through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), while Australian reports of critical antibiotic resistance rose by 25.2% compared with 2023. Australian Centre for Disease Control | National snapshot of antimicrobial resistance and use
What does prescribing look like in residential aged care?
The 2023 Aged Care National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (acNAPS), published in December 2025, found that in participating homes:
- 11.9% of residents had at least one active antimicrobial order on the survey day, including topical treatments.
- 22.7% of antimicrobial prescriptions were for prophylaxis to prevent infection.
- 34.7% of active antimicrobial prescriptions had started more than six months before the survey.
A useful starting point for your next Medication Advisory Committee meeting is to look at longstanding orders in your Ezymed antimicrobial register. Does each order still have a clear indication? Is the resident still benefiting? Is there a review or stop date? The November issue explains how to use the survey findings alongside your home’s own data and what to check at a 48-hour treatment review.
Vaccination can help reduce the need for antibiotics
Vaccination helps prevent infections and can reduce bacterial complications following illnesses such as influenza. Preventing those infections can mean fewer antibiotic courses and less opportunity for resistant bacteria to emerge and spread. World Health Organization | Vaccines and antimicrobial resistance
Your Ezymed pharmacist can help identify residents who are due or overdue for vaccination. Where available, an authorised Ezymed pharmacist immuniser can work with your nursing team to coordinate an on-site clinic, vaccinate eligible residents with consent and record the vaccines they administer in the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Read the November EzyNews
This month’s issue covers antimicrobial treatment options for common urinary, respiratory, skin and fungal infections, when to review long-term prophylaxis and topical treatments, and how to use acNAPS findings to guide a prescribing review at your home.
For a quick reference to use in discussions with prescribers, ask your credentialled Ezymed pharmacist for the Ezymed Antibiotic Prescriber Guide. It covers first-line options, usual course lengths and review prompts for common infections in residential aged care, to use alongside current Therapeutic Guidelines and each resident’s clinical assessment.
