These guidelines are intended to provide advice on the effective and safe treatment of infections commonly presenting in adults and children in the primary care setting in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The guidelines also promote the use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics in preference to broad-spectrum antibiotics where safe and appropriate. The audience of users is anticipated to be general practitioners, GP trainees, GP practice nurses, non-medical prescribers, paramedics, hospital emergency department staff and community pharmacists.

The multi-disciplinary guideline development group consisted of general practitioners, hospital consultant medical microbiologists, a consultant in HIV / genito-urinary medicine, specialist hospital microbiology / infectious diseases pharmacists, primary care trust and ambulance trust pharmacists and a senior podiatrist across Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth.

The guidelines are based largely on the Management of Infection Guidance for Primary Care, published jointly by the Health Protection Agency and the British Infection Association and the guideline development group gratefully acknowledges the work of Dr Cliodna McNulty and her colleagues in the HPA and BIA.

Recommendations for when antimicrobial treatment is indicated, based upon cited national or international evidence-based guidelines, have been expanded from the HPA/BIA Guidance, along with recommendations and practical advice for taking specimens for microbiological investigations and interpreting culture and sensitivity laboratory reports. Clinically relevant information on cautions and warnings associated with antimicrobial treatment have also been expanded from the HPA/BIA Guidance including information about risk of Clostridium difficile infection. All statements are fully referenced.