We are aware of queries coming into practices following the reported outbreak of penicillin-resistant invasive Men B linked to the University of Kent, and understandable concern from patients about the need for antibiotic prophylaxis.
For clarity, the identification of contacts at risk and the organisation of any prophylactic antibiotic treatment sits with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) public health teams. This is not part of core GMS work, and practices are not expected to identify, triage, or prescribe prophylaxis in response to this type of outbreak.
Where patients contact you:
You can reassure them that those at genuine risk will be contacted directly by public health teams.
If they have not been contacted, they are unlikely to require prophylaxis.
Any queries about eligibility for antibiotics should be directed to UKHSA or the local health protection team, rather than managed via general practice.
Practices may of course need to assess and manage patients who are clinically unwell or have symptoms suggestive of meningococcal disease, in line with usual clinical pathways.
Given the scale described, there is a risk of significant additional workload being displaced into general practice. It is reasonable to maintain a consistent position and signpost appropriately, rather than initiating prescribing outside a coordinated public health response.