Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:37 pm on 18 October 2022.
Trefnydd, can I please request a statement on the Welsh Government's reaction to the comments made by the UK Government's health secretary, Thérèse Coffey, that she had handed out prescription antibiotics to a friend? In a week where the Tory Government's incompetence with the economy is, quite rightly, grabbing the headlines, it was also incredibly worrying to hear the UK health Minister's reckless comments regarding easing the distribution of antibiotics. In reaction to Thérèse Coffey's comments, the BMA stated:
'Sharing prescribed medications, particularly antibiotics, is not only potentially dangerous, but also against the law, and we would ask our Health Secretary to instead support us in encouraging good and safe prescribing practices.
'Antibiotics are a precious resource and should be prescribed only when absolutely necessary. Overusing antibiotics risks making them less effective, and makes some infections increasingly difficult to treat, which can then actually increase pressure on the health service as patients remain unwell.'
So, I'd welcome a statement distancing the Welsh Government from the comments made by the UK health Secretary, and an update on what the Welsh Government is doing to ensure that antibiotics are not overprescribed and used unnecessarily.