Insight Webinar with IPC Partners - Sustainability and IPC
Aired on 06 May 2026
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.
IPC Partners is a collaborative of experts providing infection prevention information and solutions to healthcare providers and corporate partners. The Infection Prevention Society is a membership society that strives to fulfil its vision of a world where no person is harmed by a preventable infection by supporting, improving, engaging, and impacting positively to influence and improve evidence-based IPC practice, for the benefit of all. The Healthcare Infection Society represents a broad membership of experts in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections, and aims to advance knowledge, foster scientific interest and share information about the field.
This webinar is aimed at:
Infection Prevention & Control professionals, clinicians, and laboratory teams. The webinar will equip attendees with the latest insights to support rapid recognition, effective response, and preparedness.
Convenors: Dr. Jon Otter & Dr Phil Norville.
Speaker: Graham Pike (GREAT WESTERN HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)
What This Webinar Covers:
- 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 This Webinar Series:
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.
This is the sixth in a series of IPC Insight Webinars running throughout 2026. All sessions are CPD‑accredited by the Royal College of Pathologists and aim to provide concise expert overviews, stimulate discussion and build a global community of infection prevention enthusiasts. You can see the programme of webinars and their Journal Club cousins here: https://ipcpartners.org/learn-with-us/