Infection Prevention and Control Week
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Week is held during the third week of October each year to highlight the importance of preventing infections.
Background
IPC Week aims to promote infection prevention and control practices in health care and recognises the efforts of healthcare workers to reduce the risk of infection in health care services.
Everyone has a role in preventing and controlling infections in health care. Simple actions, such as hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment and cough etiquette can make a big difference.
IPC Week 2026 – Sunday 18 to Saturday 24 October
Our focus for IPC Week 2026 is past, present, and prepared for the future.
- Recognising the progress made in infection prevention and control (past)
- The importance of consistent IPC practices today (present)
- Highlighting the actions needed to ensure patients, consumers and healthcare workers remain protected into the future.
Past, present, and prepared for the future
Advances in infection prevention and control have significantly improved patient and workforce safety over time. The introduction of universal precautions, then standard precautions, has established a consistent approach to preventing the transmission of infections in healthcare settings.
Infection prevention and control remains fundamental to the delivery of safe, high-quality healthcare. Everyone has a role in preventing infections by consistently applying standard precautions, including hand hygiene, safe sharps management, and the appropriate use of personal protective equipment, for every patient, every time.
Looking ahead, it is important to maintain and strengthen infection prevention and control practices through risk management, surveillance, quality improvement, and ongoing education for healthcare workers, patients and consumers. These efforts help ensure our health system remains resilient and responsive to future infection risks.
Resources
Coming soon
Join the conversation
Clinicians and organisations can share our resources through your local networks and social channels during IPC Week. Promoting IPC Week will raise awareness about the importance of infection prevention and control and improving patient safety.