IN MY VIEW . . . IT’S CRUCIAL WE PRESCRIBE THE RIGHT ANTIBIOTICS

THE deaths of 12 people in Essex from a rare, invasive bacterial infection, caused by the group A streptococcus bacterium, in June should concern us all.

Most group A strep infections cause mild illnesses, such as strep throat and skin infections — but these recent cases, which mainly occurred among elderly patients in care homes, sadly proved fatal.

We must ask why. I suspect one factor is the modern failure to test before prescribing antibiotics.

Doctors used to take a swab from a patient with a severe sore throat; people with urinary symptoms had to provide a sample, and those with a productive cough would be asked for a specimen of sputum.

These would then be sent for analysis so a decision to treat with antibiotics could be based not only on symptoms, but the bacteria cultured, and the patient would be given antibiotics lethal to that particular infection. It would mean a wait to get the result — but it was only 48 hours.

A follow-up phone call to the patient would advise them of the test results and, where necessary, to arrange a correct prescription.

But because of that ‘nuisance’ value and, no doubt, the cost, diagnosis is now based on guesswork and dreaded NHS algorithms.

If an antibiotic is prescribed, it’s often the same tired old regimen of amoxicillin or trimethoprim banged out on reflex, rather than utilising the correct drug for the scientifically identified bacteria.

Is this why sepsis has become such a threat?

More than 20,000 Scots a year are struck down by sepsis, and around 4,000 die.

Shouldn’t we be doing the best for our patients, taking a bit more time and trouble — and hang the cost?