Staff asked the public to make a personal pledge to help reduce the use of antibiotics by becoming an ‘antibiotic guardian’.

The plea was part of European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) which fell on 18 November 2015.

The annual event is used to help raise awareness about antibiotic overuse and the increase in antimicrobial resistance.

Dr Stephanie Dundas, infectious disease consultant and chair of NHS Lanarkshire antimicrobial management team based in Monklands Hospital, said: “Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health issue as without effective antibiotics, many routine treatments will become increasingly dangerous.

“We need to cut the use of unnecessary antibiotics which is why we want everyone to sign the guardianship pledge.

“It asks signatories to choose one simple pledge about how they’ll make better use of antibiotics and help save this vital medicine from becoming obsolete.”

Area antimicrobial pharmacist Steve McCormick, who is oversaw the campaign in Lanarkshire, said: “We want both prescribers and patients to stop and think before they use antibiotics.

“They’re often used to treat an ailment or condition which is likely to be self-limiting and would clear up anyway without the need for any antibiotic.”

To sign the antibiotic guardianship pledge visit: http://www.antibioticguardian.com