Thérèse Coffey’s antibiotic plans and habits are giving people the needle
As the new Chancellor of the Exchequer hints at another round of austerity, Thérèse Coffey – the new Health Secretary – has stepped up with both a potentially problematic antibiotics policy and a worrying admission.
The Times had the scoop.
Patients will be able to obtain antibiotics from pharmacies without seeing a doctor under new plans aimed at reducing the need for GP appointments https://t.co/U6SHVjlgrs
— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) October 15, 2022
And what’s more …
Thérèse Coffey, the health secretary, has pushed to make antibiotics more freely available and has said that she has previously handed out her own supplies of the medicines to friends and family who were feeling unwell pic.twitter.com/ON9JdKTKOW
— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) October 15, 2022
It’s almost as though Ms Coffey is bravely stepping up to take the heat off her good friend Liz Truss. Tweeters, including several medical professionals, pointed out the issues.
1.
Ah well, we had nearly 100 years of antibiotics working. https://t.co/ovPFpWjDTp
— Adam Kay (@amateuradam) October 15, 2022
2.
*bangs head on desk*
For those not a reckless health minister leading by appalling example, see here for why you don't hand antibiotics to your mates like sweets:https://t.co/RdZy4t13Js https://t.co/DQJttzjYRw— Stephen McGann💙 (@StephenMcGann) October 15, 2022
3.
This is staggeringly irresponsible of @theresecoffey & will cause so much more harm than good.
Doctors do not – unlike Coffey – dish out spare antibiotics to our family & friends because we’re painfully aware of the harms of antibiotic resistance. Utter recklessness. pic.twitter.com/jJaR928qEn
— Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) October 15, 2022
4.
To make it easier to get medicines, @theresecoffey has announced a trough of drugs close to their use by date will be available outside all GP surgeries and pharmacies, with a sign saying "help yourself". People will also be able to deposit their unwanted drugs in the trough.
— Dr Phil Hammond 💙 (@drphilhammond) October 15, 2022
5.
Thérèse Coffey, friend of pathogenic multiresistant bacteria, trying to accelerate the end of the antibiotic era here. pic.twitter.com/whEtziRBJW
— Dr Philip Lee (@drphiliplee1) October 15, 2022
6.
Therese Coffey says five second rule should be followed in operating theatres. https://t.co/zx4CGDQIc4
— Agnes Crawford (@understandrome) October 15, 2022
7.
This is such a terrifyingly dangerous idea. Antibiotic resistance is a threat to untold millions. So many people died of ear infections and minor scratches before 1944 https://t.co/X0NcDGRJ8r
— Greg Jenner (@greg_jenner) October 15, 2022
8.
Can’t get over this. The *health secretary* is being prescribed courses of antibiotics, only taking a bit of them, then handing out the rest to her mates who don’t have diagnosed bacterial infections. And then seemingly advocating doing this in the paper? https://t.co/DNWjvAlIBt
— Lucy Watson (@Lucywwatson) October 15, 2022