NHS Lanarkshire staff are once again being encouraged to sign up to become an antibiotic guardian.

It comes as the health board gets ready for European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD).

The antibiotic guardian pledge asks signatories to choose one simple action about how they’ll make better use of antibiotics and help save this vital medicine from becoming obsolete.

Area antimicrobial pharmacist Steve McCormick, who oversaw the awareness campaign in Lanarkshire last year, said: “Antimicrobial resistance is becoming a major public health issue and we want to encourage everyone to stop and think about antibiotics.

“Too often antibiotics are used to treat ailments or conditions which are self-limiting and would clear-up without an antibiotic, reducing their effectiveness for the many times when the use of antibiotics is essential.

“Given this, we want those who prescribe antibiotics to stop and think before doing so and patients not to put pressure on their GP to prescribe an antibiotic, as often it won’t be necessary.”