IPC in the CDC

The Australian Government is progressing plans for a new Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC). This presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent and respond to infectious diseases.

The Australian College of Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) is calling for formal representation of infection prevention and control (IPC) within the CDC.

We request your support in advocating for the integration of IPC expertise in the Australian CDC to:

Prepare for and respond to future pandemics with expert IPC guidance
Develop a coordinated, national IPC infrastructure across jurisdictions
Standardise IPC practices across healthcare and community settings ...

The Australian Government is progressing plans for a new Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC). This presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent and respond to infectious diseases.

The Australian College of Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) is calling for formal representation of infection prevention and control (IPC) within the CDC.

We request your support in advocating for the integration of IPC expertise in the Australian CDC to:

Prepare for and respond to future pandemics with expert IPC guidance
Develop a coordinated, national IPC infrastructure across jurisdictions
Standardise IPC practices across healthcare and community settings
Strengthen IPC collaboration and capacity in our region, particularly in the Pacific
Establish a national surveillance program for healthcare-associated infections
Support long-term investment in IPC research, education, and surveillance.

We need your voice to make this happen.

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Email your local MP

Your voice can shape the future of IPC in Australia.

We have prepared a template letter below so you can email your local MP, urging them to support our advocacy. It’s quick and easy, just enter your address, and your name and email address, and your local MP's name will auto-populate the letter, and send it with one click.

Numbers matter – decision-makers pay attention when constituents speak up. By sending this letter, you are helping to protect the health of our communities and strengthen Australia’s capacity to respond to infectious disease threats.

Thank you for taking the time to support this vital advocacy effort. Please share this message with your colleagues – the more voices we have, the stronger our impact.

Together, we can ensure IPC is recognised as essential to Australia’s public health future.

Find your local rep

Compose your email

Subject:

Inclusion of Infection Prevention and Control in the Australian Centre for Disease Control

I am writing to you as a health professional in your electorate. I support the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control’s (ACIPC) campaign to include Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) as a core function of the Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

IPC is a critical and well-established specialty that bridges clinical and public health focuses to strengthen health and community health. It plays a pivotal role in enabling timely, coordinated responses to infectious threats that move between the community and healthcare settings. IPC protects our consumers and our workforce, improves the quality of care our consumers receive, prevents antimicrobial resistance, reduces rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and enables greater outbreak preparedness and response.

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the critical importance of IPC in protecting healthcare workers, patients, and the broader community. It also exposed the limitations of Australia’s fragmented IPC responses across jurisdictions.

Despite its significance, IPC remains underrepresented in national health strategy, infrastructure and research funding. The establishment of the Australian CDC provides a timely opportunity to embed IPC leadership and expertise into our national health security framework.

We request your support in advocating for the integration of IPC expertise in the Australian CDC to:
• Prepare for and respond to future pandemics with expert IPC guidance
• Develop a coordinated, national IPC infrastructure across jurisdictions
• Standardise IPC practices across healthcare, community and aged care settings
• Strengthen IPC collaboration and capacity in our region, particularly in the Pacific
• Establish a national surveillance program for healthcare-associated infections
• Support long-term investment in IPC research, education, and surveillance.

To be effective, IPC strategy and leadership must be embedded across the entire health system and coordinated through a dedicated IPC branch within the CDC.

Thank you for considering this important matter.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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