Antimicrobial resistance continues to pose a threat to patients and to society in 2025, resulting in treatment failure and additional burden on health services. In May 2024, the UK government published its second 5-year national action plan for confronting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The antimicrobial prescribing and medicines optimisation (APMO) workstream of the NHS England AMR Programme is responsible for co-ordinating interventions to improve the quality of antimicrobial prescribing and antimicrobial stewardship throughout the NHS, in order to deliver on the commitments of the national action plan. This session will set out the current position on antimicrobial prescribing in England and the interventions that have been implemented and planned to mitigate the risk of AMR through antimicrobial stewardship. An opportunity will be provided to ask questions and to provide feedback on the strategic approach.

1. Reminder of the antimicrobial stewardship commitments and targets of the UK government National Action Plan for confronting antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
2. Update on the latest national position on antimicrobial prescribing in primary and secondary care in England.
3. Understanding of national initiatives to foster antimicrobial stewardship and improved antimicrobial prescribing and their impact.
4. Insight into future plans and priorities for confronting the threat of AMR.
5. Recognition of actions that can be taken by individual health professionals to mitigate the risk of AMR.