People urged to return unused antibiotics

A recent study found about one in five serious infections in the West Midlands was resistant to antibiotics

People in Wolverhampton have been urged to return unused antibiotics to their local pharmacy.

The city council said storing them away and using them at a later date risked making some bacteria more resistant to antibiotics.

Similarly, throwing them in the bin or down the sink meant they could end up in the environment and contribute to antimicrobial resistance.

The authority said last year, about one in five serious infections in the West Midlands were resistant to antibiotics, which was the same as the previous year.

The campaign in Wolverhampton coincides with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which aims to tackle the issue of viruses becoming resistant to medicines.

The council said that if resistance continues to grow, common infections could become life-threatening and routine surgeries and treatments, like chemotherapy, could become much riskier

"More people could get seriously ill or die from infections that were once easy to treat," the authority said.

Last week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published a report on the use of antibiotics in the UK and Sarah Smith, a UKHSA consultant in the West Midlands, said: "Antibiotic resistance remains one of the greatest health threats we face."

She added: "We are working closely with healthcare partners across the region to ensure antibiotics are only used when absolutely necessary."