Comment on: Development of a capability framework for antimicrobial stewardship specialist health professionals working in the NHS in England: utilizing Delphi methodology

This comment discusses the implementation of Hamilton et al.’s antimicrobial stewardship specialist capability framework for NHS health professionals in England. It highlights the value of the framework as a foundation for specialist AMS workforce development, while identifying practical considerations for translation into routine practice. Key areas include the need for profession-specific guidance for nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, doctors and dentists; clearer integration of dental antimicrobial stewardship; multidisciplinary workflows across admission, inpatient review and discharge; application across primary, secondary and community care; use of national and local surveillance data; and stronger support for patient and public involvement. The comment also emphasises that effective implementation will require assessment tools, protected professional development time, adequate staffing and context-adapted prioritisation across different NHS settings. Strengthening these areas would help ensure that the framework becomes an actionable tool for improving antimicrobial stewardship practice, supporting antimicrobial resistance mitigation and improving patient outcomes.