What were we asked to look at?

SHTG published recommendations for Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in February 2021. Further work has now been requested to develop a cost calculator to complement this work. The calculator will enable health boards to input their own data to estimate the relative cost effectiveness (compared with inpatient management) of OPAT services, and potentially support the scaling up of service provision based on their health board needs.

Why is this important?

​​As stated in the 2021 SHTG recommendations, OPAT should be available to all who need it.  This work will support further service development decisions across NHS Scotland health boards.  

OPAT services are expanding across the UK.  The cost calculator will be available across the four UK nations to support OPAT service decision making. 

Referred by

The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group and British Society for Antimicrobial Therapy