The Healthcare Infection Society is  delighted to announce that Dr Susanne Surman-Lee will be presenting a keynote address at this year’s HIS Annual Conference (HISCON25) in association with the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). The partnership with RSPH aims to unite professionals from various sectors to address pressing issues in infection prevention and control (IPC).

Susanne, a Consultant Clinical Scientist registered with the UK Health Professions Council, has over 40 years of experience in clinical and public health microbiology. She has audited and investigated over 60 healthcare and non-healthcare premises following water system-related incidents, cases, and outbreaks, including Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and NTM. A former WHO advisor on water hygiene in healthcare, she has contributed to key WHO publications and influenced national and international water hygiene standards for over 20 years. She most recently led the development of the NHS Estates NETB 2024/3 Designing safe spaces for patients at high risk of infection from nontuberculous mycobacteria and other waterborne pathogens.

Susanne’s talk ‘Introduction to NETB – more than NTMs – more than water’ will focus on the most recent publication and will be followed by discussions around ‘Practical tips – deliver real time change – pros and cons of NETB’.

The collaboration between RSPH and HIS underscores a shared dedication to advancing public health and enhancing infection prevention and control strategies. By pooling resources and expertise, the two societies aim to foster innovation and knowledge exchange in the field of IPC. Members of RSPH are also eligible for discounted registration rates.