As part of the overall campaign to contain and control antimicrobial resistance in the UK by 2040, the Government has set out plans for progressive improvement in infection prevention and control. An important component of this is evidence-based guidance on the management of common infections produced jointly by Public Health England (PHE) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).  

The guidance covers upper and lower respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, genital infections, dental infections and several others. Tips on important aspects of diagnosis and treatment are also included.

Honey for sore throats 

A systematic review published in July 2020 showed that honey was associated with a significantly greater reduction in symptoms, specifically cough severity and frequency, when compared to usual care. Honey was also significantly better than diphenhydramine for improvement of all three outcomes: combined symptom score, cough frequency and cough severity.

The study’s authors suggested that honey should be prescribed for upper respiratory tract infections “as an alternative to antibiotics”, noting that “honey is more effective and less harmful than usual care alternatives and avoids causing harm through antimicrobial resistance”.