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Putting decontamination centre stage
Each year, the Central Sterilising Club (CSC) hosts two key educational events – the Autumn Study Day and the Annual Scientific Meeting. CSJ takes a look at the highlights of the CSC’s most recent event and provides an insight into what’s coming up next…
A highlight in the decontamination sector’s events calendar, each year, is the CSC’s two-day Annual Scientific Meeting, held in the Spring – comprising a formal programme of lectures, from invited speakers, and a selected number of corporate presentations, which combine to cover a broad range of hot topics. The Annual Scientific Meeting also includes The Kelsey Lecture, which was established in 1980, through a donation generously made by Dr. Jos Kelsey, to enable a guest lecturer of international repute to be invited to speak at the conference. The first Kelsey Lecture was delivered by Dr. P Makela, from Helsinki, at Keele University, in 1982, on the topic of the “problems in field evaluation of hand disinfection”. The second education event of the year is the CSC Autumn Study Day, which is usually based around a specific theme covering topical subjects chosen from current challenges faced by members. Neither of the CSC events include a trade exhibition. However, commercial partners are given the opportunity to highlight
the development of novel and
interesting products or processes, on the proviso that the content is
based on scientific merit.
Reflecting on the Autumn study day 2025 Most recently, CSC returned to North Wales for a record-breaking Autumn Study Day, bringing together experts across decontamination, microbiology, infection prevention, and medical device reprocessing. CSC Chair, John Prendergast, opened the event with a warm
welcome to North Wales, highlighting Wrexham’s industrial heritage, cultural resurgence, and the region’s notable figures. Attendance far exceeded expectations, reflecting strong sector engagement.
Transforming endoscope decontamination in North Wales Delegates were given an insight into a major turnaround project at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), presented by Sandra Jones and Sian Roberts. Following years of red-risk audit results, non-compliant infrastructure, and cultural challenges, a collaborative redesign created a fully compliant modular unit featuring modern washer-disinfectors, improved workflows, and enhanced ventilation. Lessons emphasised early stakeholder engagement, IT integration, and investment in staff ownership.
Understanding bacteria and biofilms Andrew Smith challenged common misconceptions around bacterial colonies and biofilms, using evolutionary timelines and real-world examples to illustrate microbial resilience. Key points included bacterial growth phases, MIC testing relevance, and gaps in current biofilm efficacy standards. He advocated improved IFUs, realistic testing, stronger pre-cleaning compliance, and
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