Antibiotic Smart Criteria
Antibiotic Smart Sweden engages and supports Swedish regions and municipalities in addressing antibiotic resistance. Criteria have been developed together with stakeholders to demonstrate – in a practical way - how different parts of Swedish society can become “antibiotic-smart”.
The criteria aim to:
- Encourage commitment
- Provide inspiration
- Serve as guidance
- Amplify and support existing good practices and guidelines
The long-term goal is to facilitate integrating antibiotic resistance into the agendas of different organisations and stakeholders, with preventative work and continuous improvement at the centre.
In the first phase of Antibiotic Smart Sweden, we developed criteria at regional and municipality governance levels, for hospitals, primary care centres, schools, preschools, long-term care facilities and water & wastewater organisations. The intention is to continue in other areas as well, for example in the veterinary sector.
Process to develop criteria
Four principles have guided criteria development. The criteria should be 1) relevant, 2) realistic and possible to implement, 3) forward looking, and 4) possible to evaluate. To achieve this, criteria were developed in dialogue with relevant professionals and experts working in the different contexts. The criteria were then pilot tested by more than 60 organisations/facilities across Sweden.
Final criteria
After piloting, the criteria for municipalities were revised and officially launched in March 2024. Organisations can now sign up to work with the criteria with continuous support from Antibiotic Smart Sweden. After fulfilling the requirements, organisations can apply to become “antibiotic-smart”. If passed, they receive an official diploma that is valid for one year with the aim to inspire continuous work. Fulfilling criteria does not necessarily mean you need to do things perfectly, but rather that you strive to improve!
Generally, our Antibiotic Smart Criteria cover four categories:
- Organisation & collaboration
- Measurements & follow-up
- Routines & working methods
- Education & professional development
For all areas, there are also supportive materials and guidance for implementation and evaluate progress. These build on existing good practices, guidelines and educational materials, complemented by new tools developed throughout the process.
To learn more about the process and current status of the criteria work in any sector, please contact us