Kirklees CCGs launch a competition to design a superbug
NHS Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS North Kirklees CCG are asking schoolchildren in Kirklees to help raise awareness of the potential dangers of overusing antibiotics.
Antibiotics are used throughout the world to treat infections caused by harmful bacteria. These amazing medicines have been fighting bacteria for about a hundred years but doctors are worried that they may not be a match for the superbugs of the future.
We’re launching a competition on Monday 31 October for children aged 12 and under to show us what a superbug of the future could look like.
Superbugs are nasty types of bacteria that are resistant to certain antibiotics. Each year they infect millions of people causing sickness and sometimes even death. If we use antibiotics too much and when we don’t really need to, superbugs get more and more used to them and they start to become resistant so the antibiotics no longer work.
Dr David Kelly, local GP and Chair of NHS North Kirklees CCG said:
“To make sure that antibiotics still work in the future, we must only use them when we really need to. Some people think that taking antibiotics will help get rid of a common cough or a cold but in most cases, they won’t. Coughs and colds are usually caused by viruses which cannot be treated with antibiotics.”
For our competition, superbugs can be drawn, painted, made from a collage – anything really as long as pictures are on an A4 sheet of paper. We’re asking for the original pictures please, not photocopies, and the child’s full name, age, school and class should be written clearly on the back of their picture. All entries should be returned to the following address by Friday 18 November 2016.
Design a superbug competition
c/o Kirklees Council Document Solutions
9 Colne Road
Folly Hall
Huddersfield HD1 3ER
Dr Steve Ollerton, local GP and Clinical Leader, NHS Greater Huddersfield CCG said:
“The winning entry will be announced on Monday 28 November 2016. The chosen superbug will be used in the CCGs’ publicity throughout the rest of this year and into next year, to spread the important message that we need antibiotics to be able to treat these superbugs and we can all play our part.”
It’s time to get creative – the battle against the superbugs has begun!
