Kathy Dempsey

Kathy Dempsey is NSW Chief ICP and HAI Advisor for NSW Clinical Excellence Commission, NSW IPAC COVID-19 Response Clinical Lead responsible for the strategic direction and support for Infection Prevention and Control and HAI (Healthcare Associated Infection) reduction across NSW Healthcare. She has 37 years’ experience in health, with previous management responsibility and organisational accountability as the senior ICP/Program Manager for WSLHD for 21 years. Kathy is a credentialled expert infection control practitioner (CICP-E) with a master’s degree, a diploma in leadership and management, and a range of internationally recognised certifications and is currently a Future Leaders of Healthcare DrPH candidate. Kathy is a member on the Australian HAI Steering committee, the National IPC Evidence taskforce and (Australian) ICEG (Infection Control Expert Group. She is considered a leader in the field of infection prevention and control.

Kathy has extensive and broad expertise and lived experience in infection prevention and control clinical practice, spanning across healthcare and non-healthcare environments, with particular experience in biocontainment and outbreak management, and is responsible for the timely, efficient and effective administration of the NSW HAI and IPAC program including planning, implementation, prioritisation and resource allocation of all matters relating to HAI and infection prevention and control. Kathy possesses high level analytical and research skills to inform policy and program development for infection prevention and control and HAI.