Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

Current SIGs

Upcoming SIG Events

Western Australian SIG March Meeting

You are warmly invited to attend the WA Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting on Thursday, 19 March 2025 from 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM (AWST). This a free event open to Western Australian members and non-members.

The meeting will be offered in-person and online via Microsoft Teams. A light breakfast and networking opportunities will be available for those attending in-person prior to the meeting.

Date:  Thursday, 19 March 2026

Venue:  Grace Vaughan House 233 Stubbs Terrace, Shenton House WA 6008 or via Teams.

Topic:  IPC Outside the Box

Meeting schedule

07:00   A light breakfast and networking opportunities will be provided, prior to the meeting commencing.

07:30   Welcome – WASIG Chair

07:35  Building Relationships: A tale of theatre construction and safely delivering infrastructure (20 minutes)
          Speaker: Stacey FitzGerald, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Infection Prevention Control, Perth Children’s Hospital

07:55   Influencing Infection Control in WA’s Royal Flying Doctor Service (20 minutes)
            Speaker: Michelle Stirling, Clinical Nurse Quality and Infection Control, Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), Western Operations

08:15    Infection Prevention and Control Beyond the Hospital Walls: Addressing Community‑Based Public Health Risks
            Speakers: Claire Tinson, Senior Policy Officer IPPSU & Lisa Nicolaou, Senior Policy Officer IPPSU

08:55    Questions

09:00    Close

To register for the March meeting, please complete the form in the link here: sig-wa

Contact WA SIG Convenor: Kristie Popkiss, General Manager, Clinical Governance – St John of God Health Care, Kristie.Popkiss@sjog.org.au.

Purpose of a SIG

The purpose of a Special Interest Group (SIG) is to provide a network for members with a particular interest to develop their professional skills, exchange views and information, and to guide the career aspirations of junior members.

The ACIPC Membership and Engagement Committee (MEC), under the delegation of the board, will consider if the proposed SIG contributes to the purpose, strategic goals, and objectives of the College. To review the 2023-2029 strategic plan please visit https://www.acipc.org.au/about/strategy/

Establishing a SIG

Members of the College may apply to establish a SIG by sending the following information to the ACIPC office:

• the name of the proposed SIG
• a statement of the purpose and objectives of the SIG
• the proposed convenor of the SIG
• the names of at least five members who support the formation and ongoing coordination of the SIG
• Note: only ACIPC members are invited to attend SIGS

Members of the College may apply to establish a SIG by sending the following information to the ACIPC office office@acipc.org.au

What will you get from a SIG?

Opportunities to

• Develop new friendships
• Network and create links with likeminded people
• Grow your knowledge and skills
• Stay up to date with current information
• Join us at ACIPC Conference and meet with familiar faces
• Engage with ACIPC Committees

SIG Activities

SIG activities are open to all members of the college.

SIG activities may include:

• Hosting of events related to the SIG including education, webinars, meetings
• Development of communications including emails, information for college website, activity reports for the board

Other activities are subject to the approval of the MEC and can be proposed via the Executive Manager of the College.

Management of SIGs

• the members of the SIG will appoint a convenor
• the convener will be the point of contact and spokesperson for the group and will manage the activities of the group with the support of the members
• SIGs will operate under the MEC

Reporting of SIG Activities

To promote the activities of SIGs and ensure their success:

• SIGs should provide at least four updates per year to be included in the College’s newsletter, IPC News
• SIGs must provide an update for inclusion in the College’s annual report including:
  • a list of current members
  • a summary of activities for the year
  • objectives for the next year

Hosting SIG Events

A budget must be approved by the Executive Manager for any proposed SIG events with a registration fee or expenses. Any agreements, such as venue, catering bookings and industry sponsorship, must also be approved by the Executive Manager. Please contact the office for more information.

Office Support

The office will support SIGs by:

• Publishing SIG updates and content in IPC News. All event details must be confirmed by the 20th of each month to meet the IPC newsletter deadline.
• Setting up Zoom Meetings (if required). Use of your own Microsoft Teams account is recommended for online SIG’s.
  Please note: The office does not attend SIG events or provide technical support.
• Sending email updates to SIG attendees
• Sending email updates to College members (where relevant)
• Posting content on the College’s digital channels (where relevant)
• Creating and circulating registration forms for SIG events
• Collecting fees for SIG events
• Authorising industry sponsorship agreements
• Organising the payment of expenses for SIG events