Contamination outbreaks and risks to patients
Aired on 08 December 2025
UKHSA is increasingly investigating and responding to outbreaks of infections associated with contaminated products used in healthcare settings or by patients at home. Recent outbreaks have included serious clinical infections and affected vulnerable groups (such as critical care inpatients and patients with longstanding intravascular devices.
Control measures have included National Patient Safety Alerts, product suspensions and recalls, and related guidance and communications to the public, patients and the healthcare system.
In this webinar, subject matter experts provide a brief overview of the context of these outbreaks and present a case study of a recent outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis.
The session includes an overview of patient safety risks, and outline implications and recommendations especially relevant to clinicians working in infection, IPC, critical care and other clinical settings managing patients with vulnerabilities.
Presenters
- Dr James Elston, Consultant in Epidemiology and Public Health, Lead- Incidents, Outbreaks and Infection advice and Guidance (IOIG), Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Division, UKHSA
- Dr Michael Weinbren, Consultant Medical Microbiologist, Specialist Advisor Microbiology, New Hospitals Programme
- Prof. Mark Wilcox, National Clinical Director for IPC, NHSE
Additional Q&A panellists
- Dr Colin Brown, Head of Antimicrobial Resistance & Healthcare Associated Infections Division and Deputy Director: Epidemic & Emerging Infections, UKHSA
- Ms Rebecca Stretch, Principal Health Protection Practitioner, AMR & HCAI Division, UKHSA
- Dr Caroline Willis, Lead Food Water & Environment Microbiologist, UKHSA Porton Down
- Ms Carole Fry, IPC Strategic Lead, UKHSA
- Dr Michaela Day - Clinical Scientist, Head of Opportunistic Pathogens Section, UKHSA
Session Chair:
- Dr Lisa Ridgway, President, Healthcare Infection Society
