Preview
Shaping the future of safer healthcare
Taking place 28–29 April 2026, at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham, IPC 2026 is dedicated entirely to infection prevention and control — bringing together the people, ideas and innovations shaping the future of safer healthcare.
Over two days, more than 1000 NHS professionals will gather at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham for a focused, CPD-accredited programme designed to inform strategy, strengthen practice, and connect the IPC community across acute, community, mental health, ambulance and specialist services. With funded places for NHS delegates and
14 CPD points available, IPC 2026 is more than a conference. It is a national platform for leadership, collaboration and practical change.
A conference designed for the whole system Infection prevention no longer sits within one team or one discipline. It reaches into estates, procurement, diagnostics, sustainability, digital health, critical care, primary care and public health. IPC 2026 reflects that reality. The agenda has been built to balance:
l National strategy and policy l Scientific and microbiological insight l Practical frontline workshops l Environmental and sustainability considerations
l Emerging threats and global perspectives l Hands-on innovation from industry partners
From antimicrobial stewardship to environmental reservoirs, from ventilation to neonatal water safety, the programme speaks to the complexity of modern healthcare — and the need for coordinated solutions.
Leadership at the helm The conference will be chaired across both days by Rose Gallagher, Professional Lead for Sustainability at the Royal College of Nursing. Rose opens IPC 2026 with a powerful reflection on 20 years of IPC inquiries, including the third COVID-19 Inquiry report. Her session sets the tone for the event — examining systemic gaps, recurring lessons, and the opportunity to redesign IPC systems around prevention rather than response. This framing is intentional. IPC 2026 is not
simply about new products or isolated policies. It is about learning from history and building a more resilient future.
National direction meets practical application The plenary programme brings together national leaders and internationally respected experts. Professor Mark Wilcox, National Clinical Director for Infection Prevention and Control & AMR Diagnostics at NHS England, will address the scientific and system-level challenges needed to improve infection outcomes. Drawing on the AMR National Action Plan, his session bridges policy and frontline implementation. Across the two days, delegates will also hear
from: l Professor Neil Gow on antifungal resistance in a One Health context
l Emeritus Professor Ed Kuijper on preventing Clostridioides difficile infection
l Professor Iain Buchan on civic data and AI for health protection
l Professor Hilary Humphreys on ventilation and airborne transmission
l Professor Trish Greenhalgh on mask efficacy and mechanism-informed evidence
These are not abstract lectures. Each session is designed to connect evidence with operational impact — giving delegates insight they can take back to their own Trusts and organisations.
Workshops that go beyond theory One of the defining features of IPC 2026 is its workshop structure. Running across three parallel streams, workshops provide focused, applied learning on high-impact topics including: l UTI prevention l Fungal infection treatment l Managing E. coli outbreaks l Diagnostic innovation l Venous catheter best practice l Surgical site infection reduction l Infection surveillance in critical care l High Consequence Infectious Diseases and PPE
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