Health worker recognised

A Tayside nurse has received a national award in recognition of her work in reducing antibiotic resistance.

Jo McEwan, an advanced nurse practitioner, was awarded with a staff engagement prize at the Antibiotic Guardian Awards in London.

The awards celebrate work carried out in the NHS in reducing antibiotic resistance and increasing public and health professional awareness.

Jo was joined by two other Tayside healthcare workers at the finals – Sarah Thomson, an antibiotic stewardship pharmacy technician, and Heather Kennedy, an antibiotic pharmacist.

Jo said: “I am delighted to have won the Antibiotic Guardian Award and to have the opportunity for our team to showcase some of the excellent work that is taking place within NHS Tayside around antimicrobial stewardship.

“I would like to share this honour with the community hospital nursing teams.

“Without their continued support, enthusiasm, engagement and dedication to optimising patient care outcomes, none of this would have been possible.”

Nursing involvement in antimicrobial stewardship is a new approach adopted by NHS Tayside.

Jo’s specialist antimicrobial stewardship post was the first of its kind in the world and has helped NHS Tayside reduce unnecessary antimicrobial prescribing.