Antibiotics, when used appropriately, can save lives in conditions such as pneumonia and meningitis.
Antibiotics don't, however, work for many common infections, such as colds, coughs and sore throats. Most of these are caused by viruses, which antibiotics do not kill: they only kill bacteria.
Taking antibiotics when they are not necessary can lead to needless side-effects and the development of antibiotic resistance: this means that some antibiotics might not be as effective when they are really needed.
As a practice, we have identified that we are prescribing more antibiotics than the best 25% of practices in the UK. As a result we are all making sure that we only prescribe them when necessary. You may notice that the doctor suggests other ways of managing your problem or gives a prescription to be used later rather than straight away.
Please be reassured that you will receive antibiotics if you really need them.
More information about antibiotics can be found here.