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• New Zealand Antimicrobial Stewardship & Infection Pharmacist Expert Group (NAMSIPEG)

New Zealand Antimicrobial Stewardship & Infection Pharmacist Expert Group (NAMSIPEG)

About NAMSIPEG

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global crisis, slower burning than COVID-19 but potentially as catastrophic. It is a growing problem in Aotearoa New Zealand and may cost us dearly – longer hospital stays, poorer outcomes from interventions like surgery and cancer-related care, increased mortality, and elevated healthcare costs.

The New Zealand Antimicrobial Stewardship/Infection Pharmacist Expert Group (NAMSIPEG) aims to progress antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in Aotearoa New Zealand. The group is mainly made up of hospital-based pharmacists who specialise in AMS/infection and is strengthened by collaboration with both NZHPA and PSNZ.

Activities

Over its first two years, NAMSIPEG have been involved in a range of activities:

• Led three national initiative for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, each year building on the success of the previous year:
  • 2020 - improving indication documentation on antimicrobial prescriptions 
  • 2021 - challenging the veracity of penicillin allergy labels
  • 2022 - safe handling and disposal of antibiotics, with a focus on Antibiotic Amnesty.

• Collaborated with ~60 pharmacists, doctors and nurses to publish a viewpoint in the New Zealand Medical Journal calling for national leadership and co-ordination of AMS activities.

• Continues to advocate for antimicrobial stewardship nationally and to support consistent best practice via engagement with relevant stakeholders including Manatu Hauora - Ministry of Health, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, Pharmac, Health Quality Safety Commission, He Ako Hiringa, NZ Formulary, NZHPA Notes on Injectable Drugs, ESR.

• Members (or have recently been involved in) various national groups including the:

       - Health Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Coordination Group (MOH)

       - Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister Expert Panel for 2022 report - Kotahitanga: Uniting Aotearoa against                infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance

       - COVID-19 Therapeutic TAG (MOH and Pharmac)

       - Anti-Infective subcommittee (Pharmac)

       - Infection Prevention Advisory Group (ACC)

      - National Infection Prevention and Control Expert Group (MOH)

      - Collaborations with ASID-NZ and Sepsis Trust

Future directions

Over the next couple of years we hope to land WAAW initiatives that are meaningful for the Aotearoa NZ context, including a focus on equity and on blending antimicrobial stewardship into sepsis management.

Members

• Sharon Gardiner - Te Whatu Ora - Waitaha Canterbury (Co-lead) Sharon.Gardiner@cdhb.health.nz
• Eamon Duffy - Te Whatu Ora - Te Toka Tumai Auckland (Co-lead) EamonD@adhb.govt.nz
• Emma Henderson - Te Whatu Ora - Taranaki (Secretary)
• Carla Dawson - Te Whatu Ora - Te Tai Tokerau
• Cat Li - Te Whatu Ora - Te Toka Tumai Auckland 
• Nicola Davies and Mariam Hardie - Te Whatu Ora - Waitemata 
• Natasha Pool - Te Whatu Ora - Counties Manukau
• Leah Chen and Tanya du Plessis - Te Whatu Ora - Bay of Plenty
• Mo Issa - Te Whatu Ora - Waikato 
• Jean-Pierre (JP) Meyer - Te Whatu Ora - Lakes
  
• Ben Robertson - Te Whatu Ora - Hawkes’s Bay
• Grant McRae - Te Whatu Ora - MidCentral
• Da-Kyung (DK) Lee and Lucy Stewart -  Te Whatu Ora - Capital, Coast & Hutt Valley
• Kristel Yee and Joyce Lim - Te Whatu Ora - Southern
  
• Lauren Smith - University of Otago
• Chloë Campbell - PSNZ
• Sian Dawson - NZHPA

Contact

namsipeg@gmail.com