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Could hypochlorous acid provide a viable alternative to alcohol-based hand rub for hand hygiene in health and care settings? In this IPC Partners Journal Club, Dr Jon Otter and Dr Phil Norville examine a recent UKHSA rapid systematic review assessing antiseptic hand-hygiene products for reducing Clostridioides difficile spores. They discuss the limited evidence base, laboratory findings suggesting potential sporicidal activity, and the practical implications for infection prevention and control. The session also explores: - The potential role of hypochlorous acid alongside soap and water and alcohol-based hand rub - Evidence from laboratory and real-world feasibility studies - Product concentration, pH, formulation, stability and contact time - Staff acceptability, skin health and implementation challenges - Possible applications in water-light care and mental health settings - The standards and evidence required before wider adoption - Priorities for further clinical and implementation research The presentation is followed by a wide-ranging audience discussion about translating promising microbiological findings into safe, effective and sustainable IPC practice. #HandHygiene #HypochlorousAcid #InfectionPrevention #IPC #ClostridioidesDifficile #Healthcare

Hospital sinks and drains are increasingly recognised as important reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant organisms and a potential source of healthcare-associated infections. In this Insight Webinar, Dr Issy Centeleghe (Monash University and Cabrini Health, Australia) provides an expert overview of the latest evidence on drain biofilms, sink-related transmission risks, and practical approaches to risk mitigation. During this webinar, Dr Centeleghe explores: • Why hospital sinks and drains create ideal environments for biofilm formation • How biofilms contribute to the persistence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant organisms • Recent research examining drain disinfection, plumbing replacement, and biofilm regrowth • The strengths and limitations of current cleaning and disinfection strategies • Emerging approaches, including UV technologies, probiotics and bacteriophages • Practical interventions to reduce transmission risk in healthcare settings • The importance of sink design, placement, staff behaviour, and multidisciplinary collaboration between IPC and estates teams The presentation is followed by an engaging Q&A session covering water-free care, probiotic approaches, behavioural factors, sink design, outbreak management, and future directions for research and practice. Speaker Dr Issy Centeleghe, Research Fellow, Monash University and Cabrini Health, Melbourne, Australia. Hosted by IPC Partners, the Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) and the Infection Prevention Society (IPS).

Despite effective warming technologies and clear guidance, perioperative hypothermia remains surprisingly common. In this IPC Partners Journal Club in partnership with Solventum, Dr Jon Otter and Dr Phil Norville discuss a multicentre study examining the prevalence of hypothermia in surgical patients despite the widespread use of active warming devices. The discussion explores: - Why more than half of patients in the study arrived in recovery hypothermic despite active warming - The link between normothermia, surgical site infection (SSI) prevention, and wider surgical outcomes - The importance of pre-warming, intraoperative warming, and effective temperature monitoring - Barriers to implementation in real-world surgical pathways - The role of human factors, culture, and behavioural change in maintaining normothermia - Opportunities for quality improvement, continuous temperature monitoring, and patient engagement The session also includes a lively discussion with attendees, covering topics such as theatre design, patient transfer pathways, climate change, staff engagement, patient education, and practical strategies to improve temperature management across the perioperative journey. Whether you work in infection prevention and control, perioperative care, anaesthesia, surgery, or quality improvement, this session highlights the challenge of translating evidence-based interventions into reliable clinical practice. 🔔 Subscribe for more IPC Partners Journal Clubs, webinars, and discussions on infection prevention, healthcare epidemiology, AMR, environmental hygiene, patient safety, and implementation science. #IPC #InfectionPrevention #PatientSafety #SurgicalSiteInfection #SSI #Normothermia #PerioperativeCare #QualityImprovement #HealthcareImprovement #Surgery #Anaesthesia #HealthcareEpidemiology