IPC Partners

What does sustainability really mean for infection prevention and control—and can we deliver safe patient care while reducing our environmental impact? In this Insight Webinar, Graham Pike explores one of the most important emerging challenges in healthcare: how IPC can support (rather than hinder) the transition to sustainable, low-carbon healthcare systems. Hosted by IPC Partners in partnership with HIS and IPS, and co-chaired by Dr Jon Otter and Phil Norville, this session brings together practical examples, evidence-informed discussion, and honest reflection on the role of IPC in tackling climate change. What you’ll learn: - Why sustainability is a critical issue for healthcare (and IPC in particular) - The environmental impact of healthcare and its contribution to global emissions - How IPC practices influence waste, resource use, and carbon footprint - The concept of “yellow washing” – when IPC concerns are overstated Practical strategies to reduce impact: - Reduce unnecessary use (e.g. PPE, cannulas, linens) - Reuse where safe and evidence-based - Challenge single-use culture in healthcare - Real-world examples of sustainable IPC in practice - How IPC teams can lead change through risk assessment and collaboration Key messages: - Sustainability and IPC are not in conflict—done well, they are aligned - “Reduce, reuse, recycle” applies directly to healthcare practice - Many sustainability gains are also patient safety wins - IPC professionals have a critical leadership role in driving change - We don’t need to wait for perfect evidence—there is already clear “low-hanging fruit” About the Insight Webinar series Insight Webinars bring together leading experts to provide focused, practical overviews of key IPC topics, with live Q&A and interactive discussion. These sessions are CPD-accredited and delivered in collaboration with leading organisations including the Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) and Infection Prevention Society (IPS).

In this IPC Partners Journal Club, Dr Luke Moore (Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) explores the growing challenge of carbapenem‑resistant organisms (CROs) in the context of global conflict, population displacement, and international travel. Drawing on a recent UK‑wide study led by Major Scott Pallett, this session examines how geopolitical instability, trauma care, and healthcare‑associated travel are reshaping the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance, and what this means for screening, surveillance, and infection prevention practice in the UK. Key topics include: - The current and future threat of CROs to UK hospitals - Travel‑associated and conflict‑related AMR risk - Variability in CRO screening and laboratory practice across the UK - Major trauma centres as sentinels for emerging resistance - Challenges in detection, organism definitions, and susceptibility testing - Duration of colonisation and implications for IPC - The limitations of decolonisation strategies - Practical system‑level approaches to improving detection and communication This session is relevant for IPC teams, microbiologists, clinicians, laboratory staff, and policy professionals interested in antimicrobial resistance, biosecurity, and global health. 📌 This Journal Club was recorded live and includes audience Q&A. All IPC Partners webinars and Journal Clubs are available on our YouTube channel.

Health inequalities have a profound and growing impact on infectious disease risk, outcomes, and healthcare utilisation - yet they are rarely embedded into routine IPC practice. In this Insight Webinar, Kerry Holden (Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) joins Jon Otter and Phil Norville to explore how healthcare inequalities intersect with infection prevention and control, and what IPC professionals can do differently to reduce avoidable harm. The session covers: - How deprivation, ethnicity, and social exclusion influence infection risk and outcomes - What the evidence tells us about inequalities in AMR, respiratory infections, and vaccine-preventable disease - Inclusion health groups and their disproportionate burden of infectious disease - Why “one-size-fits-all” IPC approaches can worsen inequity - Practical, real-world examples of targeted prevention (including oral health, TB screening, and community outreach) - How IPC teams can use their data, partnerships, and influence to make a meaningful difference This webinar is designed to be practical, challenging, and empowering, with clear take‑home messages for IPC teams working across acute, community, and system-wide settings. 🎓 CPD accredited (1 CPD point – Royal College of Pathologists) 🔔 Subscribe for more free IPC education (new Insight Webinars and Journal Clubs every two weeks) ▶️ Watch previous Insight Webinars on our channel