The ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo Brings Infection Prevention to the forefront

In healthcare, hygiene is never just housekeeping. Every surface, every product choice and every cleaning protocol plays a part in infection prevention, patient and resident safety, and the accreditation outcomes facilities are measured against. For the people responsible for those decisions, the ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo is a rare chance to see the entire supply chain in one place.

Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 8–9 October, the Expo brings together suppliers, industry experts and sector leaders across cleaning, hygiene and facility solutions. It is Oceania’s largest B2B gathering for the industry, attracting more than 2,500 attendees and 55+ exhibiting companies.

Built for the Demands of Healthcare

For hospitals, aged care providers, medical centres and health facilities, the timing could not be better. Healthcare environments demand far more than standard cleaning. Infection prevention, regulatory compliance, high-risk zones, patient vulnerability and equipment sensitivity all call for specialised products, rigorous protocols and suppliers who understand the stakes.

New for 2026 is the Healthcare Surfaces Forum

Taking place on Wednesday, 7 October, the day before the Expo. Hosted by ISSA Healthcare and sponsored by Virtual MGR, this highly interactive forum brings together infection prevention professionals, environmental services (EVS) leaders, clinicians, researchers, healthcare executives, manufacturers and building service contractors to explore how evidence-based environmental hygiene, surface selection, cleaning practices and emerging innovation can strengthen patient safety. The Forum is designed to encourage collaboration across disciplines, with expert presentations, facilitated discussions and practical problem-solving focused on advancing healthcare environmental hygiene.

Learn more about the Forum at https://www.issa.com/oceania/healthcare-forum-oceania/

Learning Beyond the Stands

The program extends well beyond the stands. Complimentary speaker sessions and specialist workshops run across both days, covering healthcare hygiene, workforce management and emerging threats such as biofilms. Healthcare professionals can also attend The Healthcare Cleaning Masterclass: Practical Strategies for High-Risk Environments. The workshop explores infection prevention, operational risk, workforce capability and healthcare cleaning best practice, providing practical strategies that can be applied immediately within healthcare environments.

The Right People in the Room

There is also value in simply being in the room. Seventy-nine per cent of Expo attendees are responsible for or influence purchasing decisions, creating opportunities to connect with peers facing the same pressures — increasing infection prevention expectations, workforce shortages, sustainability targets and the constant balancing act between cost and quality. The Expo also brings together healthcare leaders, environmental services professionals, manufacturers, researchers and suppliers, creating conversations that rarely happen in day-to-day practice.

Backed by a Global Association

The Expo is delivered by ISSA, the global association for cleaning and facility solutions, supporting a community of more than 11,000 members worldwide. Its healthcare focus is backed by ongoing education across the region, from webinars on healthcare cleaning as a specialised discipline to the new Healthcare Surfaces Forum and practical professional development opportunities.

For a sector where the environment of care is inseparable from the quality of care, the 2026 ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo offers healthcare professionals the opportunity to discover new technologies, strengthen partnerships and explore the ideas shaping the future of healthcare environmental hygiene.

Learn more:
cleaninghygieneexpo.issa.com

Image credit: iStock.com/SeventyFour