IPC in a Mental Health Setting 2026

To clearly articulate the business case for investment in infection prevention. To highlight examples of innovative and successful practice in infection prevention/control from around the world. To encourage the adoption of such best practice in a greater number of NHS trusts and other UK healthcare settings.

An exploration of the challenges estates and IPC teams have faced during covid-19 & the structures we have in place that enable us to draw on expertise as needed.

This year’s programme brings together frontline experts, technical leads, and senior decision-makers from across the NHS and wider healthcare sector. Throughout the day, you’ll hear from thought leaders and specialists addressing some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities in the field — from managing biofilm risks in endoscopy and pushing the boundaries of sterilisation, to driving innovation, training, and sustainability within decontamination services. With a blend of keynote talks, case studies, live debates and practical discussions, DAS 2025 is designed to spark collaboration, promote best practice, and support your professional development. We’ll also explore how technology, smarter systems, and strategic procurement can play a vital role in delivering safer, more efficient care at scale. Whether you’re working on the front line, managing services, or shaping strategy, this event is your opportunity to learn, connect and be inspired. Take full advantage of the networking breaks, engage with our expert speakers, and share your own experiences.

Now in its latest edition, the Decontamination & Sterilisation Conference 2026 brings together frontline experts, NHS leaders and innovators shaping the future of sterile services. With a focus on real-world practice, regulatory insight and emerging technology, the programme offers practical takeaways for teams working across decontamination, infection control, and clinical science.

Using behavioral insights to support good infection control practice – Every Action Counts. The story behind the “because I care video” – The South West team on how and why it was developed and the positive impact on IPC practices. Top tips for that courageous conversation – Dr Susan Fairlie and Dr Tony Bendt take us on a journey to explore how best to achieve that courageous conversation.

Knowlex will be working with various healthcare organisations to produce online training materials. This allows healthcare professionals to be able to demonstrate through CPD certification that they have undertaken training to improve their knowledge, skills and performance.

Healthcare Catering Live 2025 is more than just a conference—it’s a movement towards better food, better care, and healthier lives. Bringing together leading voices in hospital catering, dietetics, and chefs, HCL 2025 is where innovation meets real-world impact. From live cooking demonstrations to expert panel discussions, this year’s event will showcase the latest in hospital food innovation, sustainability, and leadership—all with the goal of improving patient nutrition and staff catering across the NHS and beyond.

How can the latest iteration of the National Standards for Healthcare Cleanliness be adhered to? How far have we to go to achieve the aims of the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy and what tools are available to assist? HFM Conference aims to drive improvement, share good practice and provide Soft Facilities leaders access to the innovation required to achieve their goals. We look at the increasing and essential role of automation, robotics and digital task management. The very latest practice and innovation in achieving Net Zero waste. National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness are the first line of infection control.

Healthcare Facilities Management 2019 will take delegates on a journey, some exemplars of success, some facing more challenges. Our purpose will be to unearth information and gain insights around Facilities Management. In a time of change and uncertainty healthcare facilities providers and managers are facing their greatest challenge to improving efficiencies with ever decreasing budgets. At this conference, we will consider the challenges and view best practice solutions.

Join Rod Taylor (Director of Estates and Facilities) and Paul Clarke, (The Head of Facilities) at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health board as they discuss the post pandemic challenges of managing a patient safe facility, whist achieving the NHS 2030 vision of achieving Net Zero carbon Emissions, in a pre WWII estate.They will be joined by Nikki Mehta, the Director of Energy and Sustainability for Honeywell Building Technologies and together they look explore the solutions available for the healthcare facilities to deliver safer, more sustainable outcomes in a healthier environment.

In this presentation, Evonne and Maurice will look at the COVID outbreak reports from all over the world alongside some noteworthy outbreak prevention.

Tara Marshall, Clinical Lead & Deterioration & Q Member at Eastern AHSN and Daniel Hodgkiss, Patient Safety Assistant Programme Manager at WMAHSN will be focusing on savings made, both in time and cost, that using remote services and digital tools can create and the use of Restore 2.

The UK’s leading event for infection prevention, sepsis awareness, and IPC within mental health settings is back! Join hundreds of healthcare professionals, from microbiologists to IPC leads, for two days of expert-led sessions, hands-on workshops, and cutting-edge research.

Over two days, IPC 2026 delivers expert-led sessions, practical workshops, and real-world case studies focused on the biggest challenges in infection prevention. From HCAIs and emerging threats to antimicrobial resistance and outbreak response, the agenda is built to inform, inspire, and support best practice across the NHS.

This event brings together professionals from across the healthcare sector to review the latest developments in infection prevention and control including the most up-to-date stats from Public Health England, the latest guidelines and quality standards from NICE and the final recommendations from the wide-ranging Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. The panel of speakers will consider what lies ahead for infection prevention and control and look at some of the key priorities in the global fightback.

In February 2018 we will meet to share new data on Sepsis and AMR CQUIN performance. We will also review GNBSI Quality Premium performance across 2017-18 and learn from success moving forward into 2018-19. The government’s plans to prevent NHS infections included more money for hospitals making the most progress in reducing infection rates, the NHS publishing staff hand hygiene indicators and appointing a new National Infection Lead, Dr Ruth May. We will meet again in February to review progress against new targets and strategies. We will also celebrate local and national successes and identify opportunities within the CQUIN programme.

In London in February 2019 together with 500 colleagues from across the “whole health economy” we will review the CQUIN results and look forward to see what progress is still required to achieve the 2020 targets in Infection Prevention & Control. We will review the latest NHSE/PHE/NHSI reporting trends and share local best practice on subjects including Sepsis, E. coli, UTIs and SSIs. We will also showcase the latest industry innovations and technologies in our networking area.

Join Kerry Holden and Erika Bowker as they discuss, What Shared Professional Decision Making Councils (SPDMC) are and what shared professional decision making is? How the national Infection Prevention & Control SPDMC came to be, its function and the current outcomes of the council? How IPC practitioners can develop SPDMCs in their own organisations or systems?

Infection prevention doesn’t stop at acute hospitals—mental health settings come with their own unique challenges. From managing hygiene in non-clinical environments to balancing IPC measures with patient dignity, mental health professionals face distinct obstacles in keeping both service users and staff safe. At IPC 2025, our dedicated Mental Health Track addresses these challenges head-on, offering practical solutions tailored for mental health wards, secure units, and community care settings.

Sepsis isn’t just another complication—it’s a medical emergency. It can strike fast, escalate rapidly, and without early detection, it can be fatal. At IPC 2025, our dedicated Sepsis Track is designed to give healthcare professionals the latest tools, knowledge, and strategies to recognise, diagnose, and treat sepsis before it’s too late.

Join leading voices in sepsis and critical care at the Let’s Talk Sepsis 2026 Conference. A day focused on exploring the latest evidence, innovations, and frontline strategies driving real change across the NHS and beyond.

COVID-19 has placed a spotlight on IPC provision and implementation of guidance within the mental health /Learning disability speciality. Step forward to hear an overview of the principles of IPC and stories from leaders within these care settings.

The NHS Food Review 2020 and the soon to be launched NHS Food Standards are fundamentally linked to ensure that we have a concerted focus on our requirements to have a sustained approach for catering in the NHS. Food and drink within healthcare continue to be an emotive topic, whether that is for our patients, visitors or colleagues. We have always believed that “good food empowers recovery” for our patients and healthy food and drink options for our visitors and colleagues need to be available 24/7.

The “Patient Safety 2019” conference with the input of leading quality and safety experts will look at what needs to be done over the coming years to improve even further. Topics covered on the day will include, Leadership, Change Management, Preventing HAI’s, Never Events and Reducing Medication Error. There will also be a progress report on the Patient Safety Incident Management system (PSIMS) which in April 2018 completed the Alpha phase and is about to move into the Beta stage of development.

In this module we will review personal protective equipment (PPE). We will look at PPE in light of COVID-19 and how to protect yourself. We will look at correct use of gloves and masks and the do’s and don’ts of when and where to use them. This module is available to anyone who wants to know more about PPE. Employers have duties concerning the provision and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at work. PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment.

Join Paul Chivers and Ellie Holden as they discuss, Why we need to move to more reusable and sustainable PPE? How we hope to achieve this? What support and engagement we require from IPC at a National, Regional and local level?

An opportunity to discuss risk assessment against hierarchy of controls in the context of Covid-19 and the updated IPC guidance

Over the last five years we have made terrific strides in improving the awareness, recognition and treatment of patients with suspected sepsis. When I say ‘we’, I am talking about patients, their families, and health and care professionals who have all become more vigilant in ‘thinking sepsis’ and have worked together to advance the sepsis agenda. This collaboration has enabled a sustained, national improvement in screening and treatment from 50%, to 90% within one hour of deterioration.