Blog

CPE: our biggest threat

02/07/2026

Why is CPE considered one of the greatest antimicrobial resistance threats? Explore the risks, costs, global spread, and how infection prevention can help stop it.

Blood culture contamination and a potential role for blood culture diversion devices – reflections from HISCON 2026

24/06/2026

Blood culture contamination remains a costly and under-recognised challenge. This blog explores its impact, the evidence for blood culture diversion devices, and the barriers to implementation highlighted at HISCON 2026.

Assessing the stability and sporicidal efficacy of oxidizing disinfectants

23/06/2026

Assessing the stability and sporicidal efficacy of oxidising disinfectants in healthcare, with new evidence on chlorine and peracetic acid performance under realistic conditions.

Norovirus in the Bathroom: What This Study Means for Infection Prevention and Control

10/06/2026

Evidence shows norovirus persists on surfaces and spreads during flushing. This blog explores the IPC implications and challenges current toilet cleaning practice.

Are we concentrating enough on chlorine concentration?

09/06/2026

Ensuring correct disinfectant chemical concentration is critical for effective cleaning - new audit data shows frequent under-dosing and risks to patient safety.

Big Data and AI – the future of IPC

04/06/2026

Big data and AI are beginning to reshape IPC, offering new ways to turn complex healthcare data into actionable insights. From enhanced surveillance and predictive analytics to antimicrobial stewardship and staff training, these technologies have the potential to move IPC from reactive to proactive practice. However, global evidence highlights a gap between awareness and implementation, with barriers including workforce capacity, training, and system integration. As adoption grows, ensuring safe, equitable, and practical implementation will be key to realising the full benefits for patient care.

Getting the fundamentals right

20/05/2026

This blog explores how consistent delivery of fundamental nursing care - hydration, mobilisation, oral care and more - can reduce non–device-associated infections and improve patient safety.

Are we talking the same language? We need to watch our language when communicating AMR (and everything else for that matter)

19/05/2026

How we talk about antimicrobial resistance shapes understanding and behaviour. Rethinking AMR language can bridge the gap between awareness and meaningful action.

Rethinking the language of AMR: why our metaphors matter more than ever

13/05/2026

Rethinking how we talk about antimicrobial resistance, this blog explores how common metaphors such as "war", "apocalypse", and “silent threat” can mislead, and offers more effective ways to communicate AMR that support understanding, stewardship, and behaviour change.

Hantavirus: a primer

07/05/2026

A practical primer on hantavirus for healthcare professionals, covering transmission, incubation, case fatality rates, and IPC implications, with insights from recent outbreaks and NEJM evidence.

Tension between IPC risk and sustainability gain: looking for the win‑wins

06/05/2026

Exploring the tension between infection prevention and sustainability—and where real win‑wins exist, from PPE optimisation to antimicrobial stewardship.

Sink splash zone 2.0

05/05/2026

New evidence shows hospital sink splash zones can disperse Gram‑negative bacteria and carbapenem resistance, highlighting hidden water risks for IPC.

Rethinking single use: why safe reuse matters more than ever

30/04/2026

Why safe reuse in healthcare matters now: evidence shows reuse can deliver infection safety, lower carbon and more resilient supply chains.

Biofilms, drains, and the hidden risks in healthcare environments: disinfection strategies

29/04/2026

Why healthcare drains and biofilms matter for HCAI risk. Evidence, audience insights from IPC 2026, and practical challenges in drain disinfection strategies.

Travel‑associated carbapenem‑resistant organisms at a time of increasing geopolitical instability

16/04/2026

A review of new UK data on travel‑associated carbapenemase‑producing organisms (CPOs) during rising geopolitical instability, highlighting screening variation, key epidemiological trends, and implications for infection prevention and control.

Addressing healthcare inequalities in IPC

13/04/2026

Health inequalities drive infectious disease risk and HCAIs. Why equity matters for IPC, and how data‑led approaches can protect those at greatest risk.

Neisseria meningitidis: colonisation (the norm); infection (the exception)

25/03/2026

A clear, evidence‑based explainer on Neisseria meningitidis highlighting why asymptomatic colonisation is the norm, invasive meningococcal disease is the exception, and how this distinction shapes risk communication, IPC practice, and public‑health response.

Invasive meningococcal disease: a primer for IPC, clinical, and laboratory teams

16/03/2026

A technical primer on invasive meningococcal disease, published amid the Kent outbreak, covering pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, and IPC action.

Hospital‑onset bacteraemia as a surveillance outcome

09/03/2026

What proportion of hospital‑onset bloodstream infections are preventable? Insights for IPC teams from a major BMJ Quality & Safety multicentre study

Drinking water safety in haematology units: an under‑recognised infection risk?

04/03/2026

Is drinking water an overlooked infection risk in haematology units? Examining evidence, practice variation, and IPC implications.

It is time to go “water lite”

02/03/2026

Studies show removing sinks and reducing water exposure in ICUs can lower Gram‑negative infections and help tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Water hygiene & HCAI: risks and solutions

25/02/2026

Water hygiene is a critical but overlooked source of HCAI risk. Explore hospital water risks, water-associated opportunistic pathogens, and practical solutions.

Environmental persistence of Enterococcus spp.: what dry surface biofilms mean for IPC

16/02/2026

An in‑depth look at the environmental persistence of Enterococcus dry surface biofilms (DSBs) and their implications for infection prevention and control. Exploring new evidence on long‑term survival, VRE resilience, and the critical role of effective environmental cleaning strategies.

Achieving and sustaining zero CLABSI – yes, we can!

09/02/2026

Achieving and sustaining zero CLABSI is possible. This blog reviews a quality improvement programme at KAMC‑J that drove CLABSI rates from 2.0 to zero through high‑reliability bundle implementation, multidisciplinary teamwork, and robust surveillance - while reflecting on the scientific and methodological lessons for infection prevention.

Candidozyma auris and the challenge of biofilms: a primer

02/02/2026

Candidozyma auris forms highly tolerant biofilms that drive persistence, resistance, and outbreak risk in healthcare, complicating detection and disinfection.

Genomic surveillance for IPC: principles and practicalities

27/01/2026

A practical look at genomic surveillance for IPC: what WGS offers, why implementation is hard, and how to move from reactive sequencing to routine use.

Efforts to tackle contamination of sinks in hospitals are heating up

19/01/2026

Discover how drainpipe thermal disinfection units are offering a new option for hospital sink disinfection. A new study from Japan reveals their effectiveness in reducing bacterial contamination, including Pseudomonas and CPE, in ICU settings.

Measuring Burnout in Infection Preventionists: Insights from a New Pilot Study

15/01/2026

Explore a new pilot study examining burnout among infection preventionists using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). This blog breaks down key findings across APIC chapters, the impact of self‑awareness, and why systemic organisational support is essential for sustaining a resilient, effective IP workforce.

Do we need a hand to accurately identify C. auris carriage?

13/01/2026

Discover why patient hands, especially palms and fingertips, may be an important and often overlooked reservoir for Candidozyma auris colonisation. This blog unpacks new evidence on colonisation patterns, rapid environmental contamination, and what it means for IPC practice.

The emerging threat from Candidozyma auris (previously Candida auris): infection prevention and control challenges

05/01/2026

A concise, up‑to‑date overview of the emerging global threat posed by Candidozyma auris, covering its epidemiology, multidrug resistance, transmission dynamics, and key IPC challenges. Includes practical insights ahead of our first Insight Webinar on C. auris led by Dr Areej Al‑Ali.

2025 highlights and reflections from IPC Partners

24/12/2025

A year-end roundup of IPC Partners’ 2025 collaborations, insights, and case studies - spanning external reviews, Journal Clubs, conference presentations, expert panels, and consensus work - plus a look ahead to new learning opportunities and Insight Webinars in 2026.

Economic evaluation of enhanced cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment

15/12/2025

Explore the economic evaluation of the CLEEN study (a stepped-wedge trial showing that enhanced cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment reduces HCAI) showing that the intervention is almost certainly cost-effective and probably cost-saving. Learn why this matters for infection prevention and control (IPC) and what it means for future investment decisions

IPC and the pursuit of behaviour change

09/12/2025

Explore how behaviour change theory underpins effective IPC. This blog prior to Journal Club tomorrow highlights COM-B, TDF, and Behaviour Change Wheel frameworks, key findings from a scoping review, and practical strategies for integrating behavioural science into IPC practice.

Introducing IPC Partners Insight Webinars in partnership with HIS and the IPS

08/12/2025

Discover the IPC Partners Insight Webinar series for 2026, created in partnership with HIS and IPS. Free CPD-approved sessions offering expert updates on IPC, HCAI, and AMR, plus practical strategies and engaging audience-led discussion. Join live or watch on-demand

Rethinking IPC education: the power of ward rounds

04/12/2025

Discover how ward rounds can transform infection prevention education. This blog explores a study on embedding IPC teaching at the bedside, fostering real-time learning, stronger staff relationships, and practical improvements in clinical practice.

Sustaining IPC improvements post-COVID-19

26/11/2025

Discover how a qualitative study in an Australian hospital reveals cultural and organisational barriers to sustaining infection prevention and control (IPC) improvements post-COVID-19. Learn why interprofessional respect, empowerment, and visible leadership are key to lasting change.

Disinfection strategies for CPE in hospital water systems

13/11/2025

Explore a scoping review on disinfection strategies for hospital water systems and their role in preventing healthcare-associated infections. Learn key findings on chemical, physical, and integrative approaches, novel technologies like UVC and nanoparticles, and practical implications for IPC teams.

IPC and antimicrobial stewardship: hand in hand or on different floors of the hospital?

04/11/2025

Exploring the vital partnership between infection prevention and control (IPC) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), this blog highlights practical integration strategies inspired by a survey from Sierra Leone. Written for the upcoming Journal Club in partnership with the Healthcare Infection Society, it examines real-world data, implementation challenges, and scalable solutions for LMICs and beyond.

Cold atmospheric plasma as an alternative decontaminant

28/10/2025

Explore how cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) offers a promising new approach to healthcare decontamination. This blog, written ahead of the IPC Partners and HIS Journal Club, reviews a recent paper from the Journal of Hospital Infection and discusses CAP’s antimicrobial potential, safety considerations, and its role in combating antimicrobial resistance globally.

Proactive whole genome sequencing for IPC - is it worth it?

21/10/2025

Explore the economic impact of whole genome sequencing (WGS) to enhance hospital infection prevention and control. Based on a multicentre experience with SARS-CoV-2, this blog reviews key findings from the COG-UK HOCI trial, highlighting costs, benefits, and future implications of integrating WGS into IPC strategies.

Environmental hygiene: From clean surfaces to safer patients

06/10/2025

Explore the latest evidence on healthcare environmental hygiene (HEH) and its impact on infection prevention. Dr Alexandra Peters reviews a paper showing how interventions—from UV disinfection to staff training—significantly reduce healthcare-associated infections and multidrug-resistant organism colonization. Join this week’s journal club to learn more.

Welcome to our new IPC Partners site

26/09/2025

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the new IPC Partners website, your gateway to expert-led infection prevention and control (IPC) solutions tailored for healthcare professionals and industry partners.