GPs are still prescribing antibiotics for winter ailments against national guidelines, suggests a new study. Researchers at Public Health England and University College London (UCL) found that antibiotic prescribing rates for illnesses like colds and flu rose by 40 per cent between 1999 and 2011, despite NICE recommendations to cut prescribing for self-limiting infections. The guidance states that antibiotics should not be prescribed for simple coughs and colds or for viral sore throats, and that a course of antibiotics for uncomplicated cystitis should only last three days.

The study also highlighted widespread variation in antibiotic prescribing, with the highest prescribing practices twice as likely to provide a prescription for winter ailments, compared with those with the lowest rates. Commenting on the findings, Dr Maureen Baker from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) said: “Our patients and the public need to be aware of the risks associated with inappropriate use of antibiotics and how to use them responsibly.”