Putting decontamination centre stage

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. 

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.