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Pharmacy design project to help beat antibiotic-resistant bugs

A Woodley pharmacy is hoping to tackle antibiotic-resistant bugs through prize-winning design starting this week.

Visitors to the Day Lewis Pharmacy will be able to see the interactive displays providing information about tackling antimicrobial resistance in easy-to-access ways. ‘Good bugs, bad bugs’ developed by a team from Napper Architects shows information about common infections and ways to avoid overusing antibiotics to treat illnesses that don’t require them in a cartoon story format.

The project, Information Design and Architecture in Persuasive Pharmacy Space: combating AMR, is the work of a team of academics at the University of Reading with expertise in graphic design, pharmacy practice and architecture, and pharmacists at Day Lewis, to consider how pharmacies can be used to inform the public about major health issues. 

Professor Sue Walker from Typography & Graphic Communication at the University of Reading said:

“There is huge potential in using pharmacies to communicate public health messages and to use the space imaginatively and effectively, especially in tackling major issues such as antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

“The project has also shown how good design can be a force for this good, with some fantastic entries. In the end, the Good Bugs, Bad Bugs and Beat Bad Bugs entries captured the imaginations of the judges with their accessibility, novelty and attention to good design. Some of the designs have already been very successful in pharmacies elsewhere in the UK and we look forward to seeing them locally around Reading.”

The two winning entries will be on display in the Day Lewis Pharmacy over September:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Installation 1 Good Bugs, Bad Bugs will be installed at Woodley Day Lewis Pharmacy on Monday 3 September. The 6 foot high turning blocks have cartoon story boards relating to common bacterial infections, antibiotic use in agriculture, and antibiotic overuse. Additionally, there is a prescription barometer and knitted bugs (pictured).
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Installation 2 – Beat Bad Bugs will be installed at Woodley Day Lewis Pharmacy on Monday 24 September. The installation includes life-size cartoon cut-outs – the Persuaders - hands-on activities for children and information leaflets about antibiotic use that will be included in prescription bags.
https://design-science.org.uk/beat-bad-bugs/

The project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Further details about the project can be found at:
https://amrpharmacy.org/