Background: This project aimed to compare the local paediatric antimicrobial guidelines at Royal Devon University Healthcare (RDUH) with the national guidelines outlined in the UK Paediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship (UK-PAS) framework. The goal was to identify and address discrepancies between the RDUH and UK-PAS guidelines, with the intention of aligning local practice with national standards. Standardising antimicrobial guidance improves patient safety, promotes consistency in care, and strengthens antimicrobial stewardship by reducing the risk of inappropriate prescribing, antimicrobial resistance, and adverse drug reactions.Method: Local RDUH paediatric antimicrobial guidelines were accessed via EOLAS and compared with national UK-PAS recommendations. A comparative table was created to summarise infection categories, treatment regimens, and identify discrepancies. Differences were highlighted using a traffic light system and reviewed in multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) to finalise the necessary updates.Results: Key discrepancies were identified in first-line antibiotic choices, allergy protocols, and the range of conditions covered. Notable variations were observed in the management of community-acquired pneumonia, bacterial lymphadenitis, sepsis (immunocompromised and non-immunocompromised), upper urinary tract infections, and perforated or gangrenous appendicitis. Significant variation in first-line treatments was also observed in bacterial tracheitis and neonatal meningitis. These findings informed the final guideline revisions agreed during MDT meetings.Conclusion: Important differences exist between the local RDUH paediatric antimicrobial guidelines and the national UK-PAS framework. Aligning RDUH guidelines with UK-PAS promotes adherence to national best practices, enhances patient safety, and supports antimicrobial stewardship. Next steps include implementing the revised guidelines across RDUH, developing educational materials such as posters to provide new resident doctors with an overview of updated treatments, delivering training sessions to communicate the updates to paediatric staff, and conducting an audit to assess compliance and evaluate the effectiveness of the updated guidelines.
