Profile
Elizabeth Beech
My CV
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Education:
Aston University a long time ago
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Qualifications:
Registered pharmacist with GPhC and member of the RPS
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Work History:
Trained in hospitals in Birmingham and London, worked as a pharmacist at regional and national levels within the NHS; educator for Clinical Pharmacy MSc at London University and researcher in pharmacy practice to PhD level; established an R&D support Unit in the South West
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Current Job:
I currently work for as a commissioning pharmacist, prescribing adviser; I work 2 days a week for NHS Improvement as one of 3 national project lead for healtcare acquired infections & AMR
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My Interview
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Tell us about your work on antimicrobial resistance?
I am a pharmacist, and work with many organisations and people to help implement the UK Antimicrobial Resistance strategy, in particular raising awareness within NHS commissionig organisations and in primary care. Within my local area I work with NHS healthcare professionals and with public health staff to improve the appropriate use of antibiotics and vaccination. In 2016 we are working with schools to encourage children to learn about infections. Nationally we are aiming to reduce both E.coli blood stream infections and inappropriate antibiotic use by 50% by 2020 – a big challenge that will require lots of collaboration.
How does your work make things better for patients?
Bath and North East Somerset CCG have relatively low rates of antibiotic prescribing, with 1 in 5 people having had one or more antibiotic prescriptions within the last 12 months. But this is still a lot and I am working with GP practices and pharmacists to reduce unecessary antibiotic use. Our work with elderly people in nursing homes is improving how urinary tract infections are managed, and so reducing inappropriate antibiotic use by 50%. This protects people from developing resistant infections and harm such as E coli bacteraemias. Protecting people from infection means antibiotic use is avoided, so we are improving our vaccination rates for meningitis and flu by working with schools and families, educating the public about the risks of using unnecessary antibiotics, and providing information to support self management
What are the best 3 things you've seen in Primary Healthcare to combat antimicrobial resistance?
Champions at all levels in all forms; prescribing data presented well; really useful and usable prescribing guidelines
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