TABLE OF CONTENTS


Overview

Ardens contributes to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) primarily by promoting appropriate antibiotic prescribing and supporting effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in primary care, aligning with NHSE’s digital vision. Please see the Infections Support Article for further information on how to use the resources.


Here are the top 5 ways Ardens helps you fight antimicrobial resistance in Primary Care:


1️. Pathways: Streamline Diagnosis & Management

Ardens helps you standardise processes to ensure consistency and best practice.
  • Optimised Care Pathways: Standardise the diagnosis and management of common infections (e.g., UTIs in care homes), which helps reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
  • Standardised Coding: Ensure every antibiotic prescription is linked to a SNOMED-coded diagnosis, improving data quality for audits.

2️. Prescribing: Ensure Appropriate Use

Make informed decisions at the point of care with our integrated guidance.
  • Clinical Decision Support: Our templates offer guidance to help you decide if an antibiotic is necessary, or if a self-care or delayed prescription is more appropriate.
  • Adherence to Guidelines: Access integrated national and local evidence-based guidelines and formularies, ensuring you are always up-to-date with best practices.
  • Targeted Treatment: Use the latest culture sensitivities and microbiology results displayed within Ardens to guide your antibiotic choices.
  • Alternatives: Recommendations for non-antibiotic alternatives are prompted when clinically appropriate.

3️. Patient: Empower Self-Care

Education is key to reducing unnecessary demand.
  • Promote Self-Care: Utilise our patient information leaflets and integrated TARGET resources to educate individuals that antibiotics are ineffective for viral infections like the common cold.

4️. Prevention: Stop Infections Before They Start

The best prescription is often no prescription.
  • Support Immunisation: Our vaccination templates and alerts ensure you never miss an opportunity to administer key immunisations (influenza, pneumococcal, shingles), preventing infections in the first place.

5️. Performance: Monitor & Improve

Track your progress and drive continuous improvement.
  • Clinical Audits: Use our detailed reports on antibiotic prescribing to track performance, identify key issues, and drive improvement through monthly audits.
  • Benchmarking: Benchmark your practice's prescribing performance against national data and other similar organisations to foster continuous improvement.


By integrating national guidance, supporting clinical decisions, and enabling performance monitoring, Ardens plays a vital role in advancing antimicrobial stewardship across primary care.

Additional Learning

  • Book training for your GP Practice, PCN or ICB.
  • Read the Infections Support Article for further information on how to use the resources.


 If you require any further assistance on the process above, please contact Ardens support on: 
support@ardens.org.uk