Delivery of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in an Ever-Changing National Health Service (UK): Benefits, Barriers, and Opportunities
Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is increasingly used to manage a broad range of infections, enabling patients to receive intravenous antibiotics safely outside inpatient settings. In this review, we examine the current landscape of OPAT practice across the United Kingdom (UK), ass...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/451 |
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| author | Oyewole Christopher Durojaiye Charlotte Fiori Katharine Cartwright |
| author_facet | Oyewole Christopher Durojaiye Charlotte Fiori Katharine Cartwright |
| author_sort | Oyewole Christopher Durojaiye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is increasingly used to manage a broad range of infections, enabling patients to receive intravenous antibiotics safely outside inpatient settings. In this review, we examine the current landscape of OPAT practice across the United Kingdom (UK), assessing its clinical, economic, and operational impact. The benefits of OPAT for patients and the National Health Service (NHS), as well as its associated risks, are discussed. Additionally, we explore the challenges hindering its broader implementation within the UK. Finally, we highlight recent innovations and emerging applications of OPAT relevant to the NHS, underscoring key considerations for its future expansion and emphasising the need for a nationally coordinated strategy to realise its full potential. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0de5b161fa5c4dba97b3af88e1e8403d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj-art-0de5b161fa5c4dba97b3af88e1e8403d2025-08-20T03:47:49ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-04-0114545110.3390/antibiotics14050451Delivery of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in an Ever-Changing National Health Service (UK): Benefits, Barriers, and OpportunitiesOyewole Christopher Durojaiye0Charlotte Fiori1Katharine Cartwright2Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield S10 2JF, UKOPAT Unit, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, Derby DE22 3NE, UKDepartment of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield S10 2JF, UKOutpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is increasingly used to manage a broad range of infections, enabling patients to receive intravenous antibiotics safely outside inpatient settings. In this review, we examine the current landscape of OPAT practice across the United Kingdom (UK), assessing its clinical, economic, and operational impact. The benefits of OPAT for patients and the National Health Service (NHS), as well as its associated risks, are discussed. Additionally, we explore the challenges hindering its broader implementation within the UK. Finally, we highlight recent innovations and emerging applications of OPAT relevant to the NHS, underscoring key considerations for its future expansion and emphasising the need for a nationally coordinated strategy to realise its full potential.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/451benefitsNational Health ServiceOPAToutpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapyrisksUK |
| spellingShingle | Oyewole Christopher Durojaiye Charlotte Fiori Katharine Cartwright Delivery of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in an Ever-Changing National Health Service (UK): Benefits, Barriers, and Opportunities Antibiotics benefits National Health Service OPAT outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy risks UK |
| title | Delivery of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in an Ever-Changing National Health Service (UK): Benefits, Barriers, and Opportunities |
| title_full | Delivery of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in an Ever-Changing National Health Service (UK): Benefits, Barriers, and Opportunities |
| title_fullStr | Delivery of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in an Ever-Changing National Health Service (UK): Benefits, Barriers, and Opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Delivery of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in an Ever-Changing National Health Service (UK): Benefits, Barriers, and Opportunities |
| title_short | Delivery of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in an Ever-Changing National Health Service (UK): Benefits, Barriers, and Opportunities |
| title_sort | delivery of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy opat in an ever changing national health service uk benefits barriers and opportunities |
| topic | benefits National Health Service OPAT outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy risks UK |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/451 |
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