Developing antibiotic stewardship approaches in UK primary care

The newly-funded Oxford NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) aims to find original and creative ways to combat the major threats posed by healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance.

This DPhil project will sit within the theme on Advancing stewardship approaches. This theme will use qualitative and quantitative methods to assess novel approaches to improving and implementing antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and surveillance within different emerging post-pandemic models of primary care delivery (e.g. general practice, pharmacy, community settings, online/private access), focussing on what healthcare professionals and patients want and need. Progressing from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, we will engage with underserved groups to tailor and enhance stewardship approaches to maximise impact.

The HPRU works in close partnership with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and other universities giving opportunities for collaboration across organisations and insights into policy making and research implementation.

This DPhil project will focus on new avenues of primary care delivery, including newer healthcare professional roles (such as physician assistants) and services (such as pharmacy first) to investigate how healthcare professionals and patients can be supported to better enact antimicrobial stewardship to reduce the use of antibiotics. The DPhil project can be tailored to suit a candidate based on their previous experience and research methods interest but will likely be a mixed-methods programme of research which may include:

• Qualitative research with healthcare professionals and/or patients to investigate influences on antibiotic prescribing/use
• Conducting surveys with healthcare professionals and patients to identify their needs regarding AMS
• Development/amendment of tailored AMS interventions to support healthcare professionals or patients (particularly for underserved communities)
• Reviewing evidence on AMS interventions to date and conducting behavioural analysis of existing interventions to inform theoretical frameworks for clinician behaviour
• Investigation of how AMS interventions are implemented in everyday practice

Funding

Fully funded by NIHR for 4 years from October 2025 with an annual stipend of at least £22,325. Fees up to Home level covered; Overseas students are welcome to apply but would need to fund the difference between Home and Overseas fees themselves.

Deadline for applications

The deadline for applications is Friday 28 March.