Antimicrobial Resistance and our Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Strategy

Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Strategy

Our AMS Strategy was created to support the veterinary profession in responsible stewardship of antimicrobials and managing antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), AMR is one of the top global public health threats. It occurs when bacteria, viruses and parasites evolve and no longer respond to antibiotic medicine, primarily from their misuse. Along with contributing to nearly five million global deaths in 2019, WHO says that AMR puts many of the gains from modern medicine at risk, makes infections harder to treat, and makes other procedures and treatments like chemotherapy, riskier.

Veterinarians, as stewards of antimicrobial products have a key role to play in reducing AMR. The Vet Council’s vision is that antimicrobials remain effective, and their stewardship ensures that animal health and welfare, market access, public health, and trust in the veterinary profession are protected.  

About the strategy

In developing the strategy, we reviewed the historical and current use of antimicrobials in the animal health industry to gain a solid understanding of veterinarians’ perceptions of AMR, their roles in managing it and how the Vet Council could support excellent stewardship of antimicrobials in animal health care. Two workshops were held with representatives from a range of stakeholder groups who provided advice and feedback on the strategy’s development.

The strategy was then created with four workstreams:  

• - Behaviour change: efforts in this workstream will support positive change in the profession around antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control, and veterinarians’ roles in client-facing advocacy and education.
• - Standards and enforcement: this will focus on working with the profession and other stakeholders to develop and improve the Vet Council’s professional standards for antimicrobial stewardship, and enforcing them when expectations are not met.
• - Coordination: we will look to the human health and environment sectors and overseas efforts to mirror and build on their successes, and work to ensure consistency within the profession and the wider primary sector.
• - Monitoring and reporting: work will involve monitoring and reporting on behaviours and attitudes within the profession, including prescribing behaviour and other aspects of stewardship, advocacy and education.

The AMS strategy will engage all corners of the veterinary sector – including animal owners, whose efforts will be critical in helping veterinarians to prevent AMR. It also aligns with global and national efforts to manage AMR, such as the World Health Organisation’s Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, New Zealand’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, and the New Zealand Animal and Plant Sectors’ AMR Implementation Plan.

We also want to recognise the profession's progress in helping to ensure that we keep heading in the right direction and demonstrate excellent antimicrobial stewardship.