Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been named winner of the Exceptional Contribution to Research or Quality Improvement Award at the IPS Impact Awards 2026 for its innovative project, Interrupting CPE Transmission in Critical Care through a Multidisciplinary Water-Lite Strategy.
The award recognises outstanding contributions to infection prevention and control through research or quality improvement. The Newcastle team impressed judges with a collaborative, evidence-based programme that successfully halted transmission of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) in a high-risk Critical Care environment while embedding lasting improvements into everyday practice.
Following seven CPE cases over a six-month period in a 20-bed Critical Care unit, the team brought together infection prevention and control specialists, Critical Care nursing and medical teams, microbiology, estates, facilities and operational colleagues to develop a multidisciplinary quality improvement programme. Enhanced surveillance, environmental risk reduction, regular auditing, staff education and increased IPC visibility formed the foundation of the approach.
A key element was the introduction of a coordinated water-lite model of care, designed to reduce potential transmission risks associated with water sources in Critical Care settings. The programme also included ongoing screening, environmental controls and a strong focus on staff engagement and feedback.
The results were significant. No further CPE cases were reported after April 2025, while hand-hygiene technique compliance improved from 43-50% before implementation to 100% in multiple post-implementation audits. The water-lite approach has since become standard practice within the unit, helping to sustain improvements beyond the outbreak response.
Angela Cairns, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The team were surprised and thrilled to win this award, which reflects a lot of hard work by the ward staff, estates and hotel services, as well as our IPC team, supported by Gama. Patient safety is at the heart of our jobs and this project has made a demonstrable improvement.”
Lesley Wilson, Matron Infection Prevention and Control, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This award is a testament to the power of collaboration and engagement. The success of this work has been built on the commitment, expertise and partnership of colleagues across the Trust, all working towards the shared goal of improving patient safety and quality improvement. It is wonderful to see that collective effort recognised.”
Education and shared ownership were central to the project’s success. Daily multidisciplinary collaboration gave staff an active role in reviewing risks and progress, while learning from the programme is now being considered for wider application across other Critical Care areas.
The team’s work has also been developed into an abstract for presentation at the IPS Annual Conference 2026, enabling key learning to be shared with the wider infection prevention and control community.
By combining surveillance, audit, education, environmental controls and multidisciplinary collaboration, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has demonstrated how quality improvement can not only control an outbreak but deliver sustainable improvements for patients, staff and services.
Congratulations to Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on receiving the Exceptional Contribution to Research or Quality Improvement Award at the IPS Awards 2026.
