A pharmacy-led sore throat test and treat (STTT) service: antigen testing and antibiotic supply rates during the period of heightened public awareness of Group A Streptococcus infections.

• Community pharmacies in Wales delivered an NHS-funded sore throat test and treat (STTT) service during the period of increased invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) incidents in winter 2022-23. Service users were screened using FeverPAIN/CENTOR scores, offered GAS rapid antigen detection tests (RADT) if appropriate, and antibiotics if indicated.To evaluate the service's response to a substantial rise in sore throat presentations during a period of heightened public anxiety.Cross-sectional study with anonymized individual-level data from electronic pharmacy records of all eligible STTT service users, between January 2022 and March 2023.Antibiotics were supplied to 24% (95% CI: 23-24) of people who used the STTT service and 31% (95% CI: 31-32) of those who met the threshold for an RADT. Of 27441 STTT consultations, 9308 (33.9%) occurred during December 2022. In the week commencing 2 December 2022, following the announcements of increased iGAS incidents, we observed a statistically significant increase of 1700 consultations (95% CI: 924-2476) and a statistically significant decrease in supply rate of 13.9 antibiotics per 100 RADT (95% CI: -18.40 to -9.40). Antibiotic supply rates increased thereafter to those observed before the announcements of iGAS incidents. Referral rates to other primary care or emergency settings remained below 10% throughout the study period.Our findings suggest that, despite a dramatic increase in sore throat consultation rates in response to media reports, the pre-specified pathway followed by pharmacists ensured appropriate use of antibiotics, and absorbed a substantial workload that would otherwise end up in other healthcare settings.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Allmänmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- General Practice (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Infektionsmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Infectious Medicine (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Farmaceutiska vetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Pharmaceutical Sciences (hsv//eng)

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