National indicators for antibiotics use

Indicators on antibiotic use

The UK AMR National Action Plan 2024 - 2029 (NAP) sets out renewed UK-wide antibiotic use and healthcare associated infection targets namely the ambition to, by 2029

  • reduce total antibiotic use in human populations by 5%, and
  • achieve 70% of total use of antibiotics from the Access category across the human healthcare system

Both targets are set against a 2019/20 baseline.

In December 2025, Scottish Government published the agreed antibiotic prescribing indicators for Primary Care, Secondary Care, and dental prescribing. These indicators will support the delivery of the UK NAP targets across Scotland.

Primary Care Targets:

  1. By 2029, 90% of prescriptions of amoxicillin and 60% for doxycycline in primary care will be for a 5-day course
  2. By 2029, 85% of prescriptions of trimethoprim and nitrofurantoin for women in primary care will be for 3 days
  3. By 2029, less than 3% of all antibiotics in primary care will be for co-amoxiclav and ciprofloxacin combined

Secondary Care Targets:

  1. By 2029, IV antibiotic prescribing (DDDs per 1000 acute occupied beds) will be 10% lower than the 2019 baseline
  2. By 2029, 95% of antimicrobial prescriptions will have an indication recorded in secondary care

Dental Prescribing Targets:

  1. By 2029, total antibiotic use in dental prescribing will be 5% lower than the 2019 baseline
  2. By 2029, penicillin will be prescribed more frequently than amoxicillin in general dental practice and will account for at least 60% of total antibiotic prescribing

These indicators were developed in collaboration with stakeholders and are supported by the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group and ARHAI Scotland. They will be kept under review to ensure that they are supporting boards to improve antimicrobial prescribing and delivery of the NAP.