PEOPLE across Dorset are being urged to use antibiotics responsibly and in moderation ahead of the winter season.

GPs and pharmacists who are part of the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are urging members of the public not to use antibiotics for minor illnesses such as coughs and colds unless prescribed by a doctor.

The medicine – which works by fighting infections caused by bacteria – is used by more and more people for less serious illnesses and overusage can lead to the body building up a resistance against the antibiotics which reduces the medicine’s impact when it is used to fight more severe illnesses.

Dr Patrick Seal is a local GP and member of NHS Dorset CCG, and said the medicine does not work for viral infections such as the common cold and coughs, with the illnesses becoming more common as we head into the winter season.

He said: “Often patients come to the doctors surgery or out of hours service with infections for which they may expect antibiotics to be given.

“Often the infections are due to a viral cause and antibiotics will make no difference, in fact the antibiotics may have side effects and clearly there is a cost to many patients for the prescription.

“There is also a cost for the future if we use antibiotics unnecessarily as antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem in the UK. We must therefore use antibiotics wisely, and when infections are viral our firm advice will be to use over the counter remedies and allow the patient’s own immune system to do the rest.

“Using antibiotics inappropriately means that bacteria are able to build up resistance rendering them ineffective when they are really needed.”

The warning also comes as part of the European Antibiotic Awareness Day earlier this month which is supported by NHS Dorset CCG.

Katherine Gough is chief pharmacist with NHS Dorset CCG.

She said: “It is really important that people know when antibiotics should and shouldn’t be used.

“They are not suitable for everything and people should understand that they aren’t effective against all illnesses.

“When they are prescribed it is also important that the entire course is taken, if not there is a possibility that some bacteria could remain and they may develop resistance.”