Bowen, A.C., Smith, B., Daveson, K., Eldridge, L., Hempenstall, A., Mylne, T., Szalkowski, R., Van Rooijen, K., Anderson, L., Stephens, M., Tong, S.Y.C., and Yarwood, T. (2024) Capacity building to address antimicrobial resistance in remote Australia: The inaugural HOT NORTH Antimicrobial Academy. Infection, Disease & Health, 29 (3). pp. 117-123.

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Abstract

Background: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for some pathogens in Australia are considerably higher in rural and remote compared to urban regions. The inaugural Hot North Antimicrobial Academy was a 9-month educational programme aimed to build workforce knowledge and capacity in antimicrobial use, audit, stewardship, surveillance and drug resistance in remote primary health care.

Methods: The Academy was advertised to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, regional and remote healthcare workers. Participants were Aboriginal health practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and doctors from Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia working in remote primary health care with a focus on Indigenous health. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Academy ran virtually from February–November 2021 using Microsoft Teams. The Academy was evaluated using surveys and yarning circles to assess impact and knowledge gain.

Results: Participants and faculty from across Australia attended 19 lectures and mentorship sessions. Eleven participants commenced and eight (73%) completed the Academy. The Academy raised participants awareness of AMR guidelines, governance and generating change; built confidence in advocacy; grew knowledge about drug resistant infections; and created a community of AMR champions in Indigenous health.

Conclusion: The evaluation confirmed the Academy met the needs of participants, provided opportunities to move stewardship from tertiary hospitals into Indigenous and remote clinics and developed skills in research, audit, stewardship and advocacy for all involved. All sessions were recorded for future use, with facilitation by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) in future years.

Item ID:	85784
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2468-0869
Copyright Information:	© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Funders:	National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC)
Projects and Grants:	NHMRC RPRTS000142022, NHMRC GNT1175509
Date Deposited:	10 Jun 2025 23:39
FoR Codes:	45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450417 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public health and wellbeing @ 30% 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4203 Health services and systems > 420321 Rural and remote health services @ 40% 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3202 Clinical sciences > 320211 Infectious diseases @ 30%
SEO Codes:	20 HEALTH > 2005 Specific population health (excl. Indigenous health) > 200508 Rural and remote area health @ 50% 21 INDIGENOUS > 2103 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health > 210399 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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