Council’s Report to Members on Congress 2023

In addition to the web version below, you can also download this report as part of our 2023 Annual Review. The report can be found on page 40.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses abortion protest buffer zones and their potential impact.

Key message

Across the UK, there is evidence of rising anti-abortion activity. Some local areas are putting measures in place to protect individuals and staff; however, these are limited in their effectiveness. National legislation is required to address outstanding patient and professional protection issues.

Legislation has been put forward in each country of the UK, and we will monitor the implementation.

Activities

We have:

• published updated clinical guidance on the termination of pregnancy and abortion care
• submitted evidence to the consultation on the non-statutory guidance for abortion clinics safe access zones in England and Wales
• continued to monitor key developments and the impact of legislation within each UK country.

We will:

• capture developing evidence of effectiveness as legislation progresses through the stages in England and Wales, and Scotland. 

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual. 

Impact

Legislation would protect patients and staff. Patients would have more confidence to access services safely.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses if clinical audit is something to be embraced or endured.

Status

RCN Council agreed that no further action was required for this item.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress calls upon RCN Council to lobby for a Commissioner for Older People in England and Scotland, as there are in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Key message

To ask the Westminster and Scotland governments to appoint a Commissioner for Older People for England and Scotland, as there are in Northern Ireland and Wales.

Activities

We have:

• joined the National Pensioners Convention existing campaign and are ensuring our voice is being represented in this space
• signed up to the existing coalition petition, led by Age UK and Independent Age to support the move to an Older People’s Commissioner in England
• responded to a consultation on Parliamentary Proposed Commissioner for Older People (Scotland Bill) supporting the draft proposal for a bill to establish an independent commissioner
• built connections with key stakeholders, via meetings and committee membership, including Independent Age, Age UK, Ageing Better and the British Geriatrics Society
• met with Independent Age and Ageing Better to understand some of the potential benefits an Older People’s Commissioner could bring in relation to planning accessible housing, reducing cold homes and falls in homes, working lives and accessible transport. All of which could support a reduction in health inequalities and emergency admissions to hospital for older people. 
• became a member of the campaign calling for an Older People’s Commission in England and Scotland, joining over 70 organisations
• met with the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Older People Office for insight into the benefits of the role and the impact the older people’s commissioner has had in Northern Ireland. This was also an opportunity to ensure the Commissioner’s office is fully aware of our position regarding the development of commissioner roles in England and Scotland 
• produced a letter template available on the RCN website to support members to lobby local MPs.

We will:

• create campaigning resources for members to use, including the recently launched letter template to support members to lobby their MPs and local decision makers

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

Our actions strengthen the voice and lobbying position of the existing campaign for an Older People’s Commissioner in England and Scotland.

You said

That this meeting of Congress asks Council to lobby the government to completely abolish corridor care and ensure that the respect and dignity of patients is upheld.

Key message

Patients are being assessed and cared for in inappropriate locations with insufficient nursing workforce, equipment, or facilities to maintain safety, privacy and dignity. As well as the negative impact for patients and their carers, there is also the detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of staff, as well as on their ability to undertake research and other broader nursing duties.

Activities

We have:

• commissioned research by Sheffield University including:
  
  • an evidence review of nurse and patient experiences of overcrowding, boarding and corridor care
  • a review of media stories to illustrate the impact of corridor care on nurse and patient experiences
• included discrete questions on corridor care in the Last Shift Survey
• hosted 5 UK virtual listening events to explore nursing staff’s experience of corridor care
• signposted to Sensemaker to capture stores illustrating the impact and extent of corridor care
• used the research findings, data from the listening events, the Last Shift Survey, and Sensemaker to develop a summary of evidence to be shared at Congress
• held a roundtable event on corridor care with other royal colleges and organisations
• highlighted corridor care as an issue at all available media opportunities and developed social media messaging reinforcing corridor care should not be normalised
• provided an update and information session on corridor care to RCN Advice to support conversations with members.

We will:

• continue to progress corridor care work as part of the RCN Staffing for Safe and Effective Care programme.

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

Raise awareness of the concerns of our members and de-normalise this unsafe practice

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress considers the cost of going to work.

Key message

The rising cost of living across the UK, alongside the diminishing spending power of nursing wages and the additional costs many nursing staff face just to support their employment have reached unsustainable levels.

Activities

We have:

• run member webinars to highlight the value of the NHS pension scheme by promoting the new pension flexibilities
• secured banding uplifts by promoting our new job evaluation tool.
• provided materials for local reps and officers to deliver on our position statement on free parking and sustainable travel to work for the whole nursing workforce
• been working with the Department of Health and Social Care to remove ‘cliff edge’ pension scenarios and to reduce the level of affordability-based opts outs
• made a submission to the 2024/25 Pay Review Body. 

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

Our actions will support our campaign and lobbying work on nursing pay, terms and conditions and on the value of nursing.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the successes and learning from the current Fair Pay for Nursing campaign.

Key message

Following this discussion, lessons-learned activity has taken place across all key areas of the Fair Pay for Nursing campaign, focusing on the industrial action period between November 2022 and May 2023.

Activities

We have:

• completed the second phase learning across key workstreams of the Fair Pay for Nursing campaign
• gathered intelligence across the College and through externally commissioned member research (involving 9,653 members)
• instigated change activity as a result of the research including developing bespoke engagement pathways for members with specific characteristics who have lower engagement but are highly likely to act when they do engage
• improved central intelligence systems for ballot feedback and oversight
• developed technology to capture sentiment from conversations held with active members
• reviewed finance structures to improve spend efficiency and budget phasing

We will:

• develop an action plan to ensure we are ballot ready at all times, incorporating the relevant learning from the 2022-23 action. This will include improving data quality and revisiting the learning from derogations. During the early days of strike action, we found our derogation approach was too lenient and revisions were made as strikes continued. Our strategic derogation approach will now be different to reflect the changes we implemented and also the minimum service levels now in place with the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

Implementing the findings of this learning activity means that future campaigns, including any ballots or industrial action, will be more effective and impactful, engaging members and policy makers at the most appropriate times and through the most appropriate channels.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress asks RCN Council to lobby the UK government to comply with its international and legal obligations in ensuring health.

Key message

In the UK, conditions within asylum processing centres and detention facilities present significant challenges to the provision of health care. As the voice for nursing, we have a key role to play in advocating for patients including those within immigration detention facilities, and temporary asylum accommodation.

Activities

We have:

• forced the Home Office to reverse its decision to make that would have given people just 7 days’ notice to leave asylum accommodation. This was achieved through sectoral lobbying including, with other health organisations, signing a joint letter to the Home Secretary which highlighted health impacts 
• highlighted concerns on the health consequences of the Safety of Rwanda Bill. We called for the bill to be scrapped and in March 2024, briefed key parliamentarians on our concerns ahead of the House of Lords Report stage 
• signed a joint letter on the health consequences of the Safety of Rwanda Bill alongside other organisations representing health professionals 
• updated our guidance page for members which will be reviewed annually, and updated as new issue areas develop

We will:

• continue to identify opportunities to lobby on this issue, including working jointly with other health organisations. This includes Doctors of the World, Médecins sans Frontier and the British Medical Association
• publish a position statement.

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

Building up stakeholder relationships and has allowed us to strengthen our voice by jointly lobbying on key policy changes. We have successfully positioned ourselves as an organisation that will speak with expertise on issues relating to health care for people seeking asylum.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress asks RCN Council to explore the culture around incident reporting and the impact that this can have.

Key message

Reporting incidents/near misses is key to the reduction/prevention of workplace occurrences but many staff are reluctant to make reports for fear of detriment or not being treated fairly and supported. In order to gain the benefits and learning from incidents, easy to use systems and safe environments are essential.

Activities

We have:

• been communicating with UK stakeholders on content for a position statement. This includes the proposers and committee lead.

We will:

• launch a position statement that will identify the RCN stance and refer to resources for the nursing profession.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

Our position statement, which is informed by current RCN and stakeholder information, will ensure members and the wider nursing profession are able to use incident reporting to support delivery of safe and effective care.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress demands Council to support the role of nursing in supporting members of the LGBTQ+ communities who are victims of hate crime.

Key message

We will provide resources for our members to aid them in supporting all victims of hate crime including LGBTQ+ people.

Activities

We have:

• published an article in the RCN magazine featuring Jason Warriner providing information about tackling hate crime.

We will:

• launch an audio recording of Jason Warriner and Liz Curr, sharing their insights into the importance of tackling hate crime, scheduled for June 2024.
• hold an in-person EDI conference in December 2024.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

Our members will be equipped to care for patients who have been the victims of LGBTQ+ hate crime.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to fully commit to building on and strengthening the undeniable power of the membership voice and further increase their influence and positive public opinion.

Key message

RCN Council, the Executive Team and the entire organisation are doing everything they can to support, encourage and enable members to use their voices to influence policy and public opinion.

Activities

We have:

• been mentioned over 30 times in Westminster between Congress last year and March 2024
• continued to take a leading role on holding the Wales and Scotland governments to account over their staffing commitments. In Northern Ireland our members once again took the ultimate step to withdraw their labour, advocating in the strongest possible terms for the profession and their patients
• launched the RCN Institute of Nursing Excellence which includes the Activism Academy. This is the clearest demonstration of Council’s commitment to building on and strengthening the power of the member voice
• empowered members to confront local issues and secure changes. In Somerset, members made a powerful case to their trust for improvements to the local parking and public infrastructure 
• heard from thousands of members via surveys and consultation. More than 9,000 members contributed to our consultation response on a separate pay spine for nursing in England. Hundreds of members are using Sensemaker to tell us about the realities of nursing today. These stories enable us to prioritise, advocate and campaign on the issues that really matter to our members
• held a session with members of the UK Stewards, Learning Reps and Health and Safety Reps committees in January called ‘How to build a powerful RCN in your workplace’
• held webinars for our internationally educated nurse members, demonstrating our commitment to them and providing bespoke support and advice to help them with their professional and personal transition to life in the UK and welcome them fully into our College
• hosted 5 UK virtual listening events for nurses, to explore their experience of corridor care.
• held two safe staffing summits, which have made a compelling case for nurse-to-patient ratios and as this work evolves, it will be our members who make it a reality.

We will:

• ensure the Activism Academy empowers members to see what is possible when they come together with the backing of their union to advocate for change
• give members, who want to get involved the information, resources, training and advice they need to make the difference they want to see.

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

By reporting the wide range of activities being undertaken by members – and the impact those activities are having – more members will feel encouraged to take part.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on the RCN to withdraw from the NHS Pay Review Body.

Key message

The RCN is not a member of the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB). Depending on a remit being given to the PRB by each of the respective governments of the UK countries, the PRB may seek a submission and/or evidence from us to assist them in discharging its function of making recommendations to the UK governments on NHS pay. The decision to submit evidence or engage with the PRB is one which we take based on the best interests of our members and considering what options are available.

We did not submit evidence to the PRB for the 2023-24 pay round – at the time, following industrial action by our members, the Westminster government had entered direct negotiations with us.

The RCN TU Committee and Council decided that, in the absence of any alternative process (such as direct negotiations) and to ensure the nursing voice on pay was presented to the NHS PRB, we should on this occasion submit evidence to the PRB for the 2024-25 pay round.

Activities

We have:

• decided that, in the absence of any alternative process (such as direct negotiations) and to ensure the nursing voice was presented to the NHS PRB, that the RCN should submit evidence. Council and the Trade Union Committee agreed that we should submit evidence to the PRB for the 2024-25 pay round
• submitted written evidence to the NHS PRB and provided oral evidence/responses to the PRB questions relating to our evidence and nursing pay
• made clear our position for improvements to nursing pay in the NHS and also our position of significant concern relating to the NHS PRB processes
• raised concerns on a number of issues, including an already delayed process and a report date of May 2024 (making nurse staff wait longer for their April 2024 pay rise)
• delivered this activity as part of the business-as-usual activity of the RCN in working to improve the pay, terms and conditions of RCN members.

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

Depending on a remit being given to it by the relevant government in each of the UK countries, the NHS PRB makes recommendations on NHS pay to those governments. It is the respective government that then determines NHS pay and any changes.

Approximately 350,000 RCN members are directly employed by the NHS and have their pay determined by the government in their respective country.

You said

That this session of RCN Congress discusses the impact of and direction of the registered nursing associate role.

Key message

As the lead body for nursing and with nursing associates included in our membership, we will examine the benefits of nursing associates in England.

Activities

We have:

• updated our position statement in December 2023, which addresses the role and scope of practice of nursing associates. As agreed, by our Professional Nursing Committee on 20 March, we have strengthened and clarified the statement
• developed a position statement on medical associate professionals (MAPs).

Status

Complete.

Impact

Clarifying the role of the nursing associate ensures that we can protect them from being asked to work outside of their scope of competence and from being used as unsuitable substitutions for registered nurses.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the availability of courses and resources for nursing support workers (NSWs).

Key message

Parity of education and learning resources is key for the nursing support workforce which comprises a plethora of roles including trainee nursing associates, nursing associates, health care assistants, assistant practitioners and health care support workers. The future outcomes of this work will continue to build on our educational offer.

Activities

We have:

• completed an evidence review and research into current UK offerings for NSWs which will be used to shape our future direction
• commissioned Research by Design to conduct secondary research to enable a detailed assessment and summary of the existing UK-wide picture for NSW learning and educational resources
• completed a review of our current RCN Learn resources available to NSW members. We have approximately 200 learning resources (approximately 80% of the total available).

We will:

• advocate for the nursing support workforce to have greater access to learning time during working hours, as part of our ongoing policy influencing programme of work
• advocate for better access to health and social care apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3
• advocate for better access to professional development funding for NSWs.

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

Improved access to education and learning for NSWs across health and social care, supporting their practice development.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to lobby employers to ensure the welfare and occupational safety of older health care workers.

Key message

To ensure the welfare and occupational safety of older health care workers.

Activities

We have:

• updated our Valuing older workers publication which was last reviewed in 2021. We aim to publish this in autumn 2024.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

Greater awareness of how to support the health and occupational safety of older workers.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress asks RCN Council to lobby the UK governments for minimum standards for employment terms and conditions for all nursing workforce in any organisation funded by the public purse.

Key message

Wherever members work across the health and social care landscape, they can be assured that we will be arguing for these minimum standards with employers and lobbying the UK governments.

Activities

We have:

• established a UK-wide working group to support the work on this resolution
• undertaken a survey of our members working in GP practices to get a clearer idea of how the 2023/2024 pay award has been implemented. As a result of the survey, we have written to Local Medical Committees calling on their support and are working closely with the British Medical Association to collectively respond to this issue 
• worked with members in non-NHS employers who provide NHS care to secure the non-consolidated payment element of the NHS pay award
• worked with Social Enterprise UK to lobby the government to provide the 2022/23 non-consolidated pay award element in addition to the 2023/24 NHS pay award to those working in the independent sector delivering NHS care
• reviewed our positions on pay, terms and conditions for members working across the independent health and social care sectors. Our Trade Union Committee has confirmed the current positions remain relevant and will be under constant review
• held a fringe discussion at the spring Joint Reps Conference on our draft RCN Nursing Employment Standards.

We will:

• further develop the RCN Nursing Employment Standards. The standards will set out our expectations for members in all settings. When the standards are launched, they will be shared with the membership and key stakeholders
• use the updated RCN Nursing Employment Standards to inform our lobbying of UK governments and employers, including in situations of direct, or sectoral, collective bargaining with the employers of nursing staff and our members.
• continue to work with the BMA to secure funding for fair and equitable pay for nurses employed by general practices.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

Parity in pay, terms and conditions will provide greater fairness and help to recruit and retain nursing staff in affected settings.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the role of private health care in a modern health system.

Status

RCN Council agreed that no further action was required for this item.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress affirms the strength of the Royal College of Nursing arising from our dual function as both a professional body and a trade union.

Key message

The strength of the Royal College of Nursing continues to be in its dual function as both a professional body and a trade union.

Activities

We have:

• evidenced the strength of our dual function. Examples of bringing together our trade union and professional expertise are:
  • our Nursing Workforce Standards which enable members to hold employers, policy makers and governments to account
  • in 2024, we will launch our Employment Standards, for members working across independent health and social care sectors and settings
  • we are the professional authority on all aspects of nursing and are called upon to provide the definitive voice for the profession. Since Congress last year, we have featured in 20,000 pieces of online news coverage; been mentioned 1,500 times on radio and TV and 1,500 times in newspapers. We use our influence to keep nursing at the top of the media and political agendas, meaning the public hear your stories, concerns and experiences
• in December 2023 and March 2024, we held our first safe staffing summits, bringing together global workforce experts with senior nurses. These summits aimed to build a nationwide consensus for change amongst nursing leaders, who heard how international health systems and responsive governments are tackling staff shortages by implementing registered nurse to patient ratios and providing a safety-critical ‘red line’ beyond which staffing levels must not fall
• our new RCN Institute of Nursing Excellence demonstrates a significant commitment to leadership within both functions. The 5 academies of the Institute reflect our professional nursing expertise and our leadership in both trade union and professional activism.
• internally, our Professional Nursing Committee and Trade Union Committee continue to work collaboratively. Each committee has its own set of delegated responsibilities, accountable to RCN Council. They increasingly work closely together on many of the major issues facing the workforce. 

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

Evidence shows that the RCN’s dual function is affirmed.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress calls for all members of the RCN to be given equal democratic rights within the organisation.

Key message

As the lead body for nursing and with nursing associates included in our membership, we will examine the benefits of nursing associates in England.

Activities

We have:

• completed an eligibility mapping process for nursing support workers (NSWs) which showed that they are eligible to stand for most RCN roles, at country, regional and national level and are eligible to become accredited representatives. NSW members are also eligible to be nominated for RCN Award of Merit and Representative of the Year awards. They must be in the full payment plan, which is the same requirement for nurse members
• agreed that they are not eligible to be RCN President, RCN Deputy President and Council members for country and regional seats.

We will:

• consider NSW eligibility for elected and appointed roles as the Governance Committee, in conjunction with the oversight work of the Governance and Culture Reviews Joint Partnership Board, undertakes a review of the RCN’s governance structures, as recommended by the KPMG and Carr reviews. Changes to the eligibility criteria for elected and appointed officer roles (for example, RCN President) would require approval from two-thirds of the membership in attendance at a general meeting. 

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

To be determined.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress condemns rostering of student nurses and student midwives to cover gaps in staffing.

Key message

Rosters must be drawn up to meet the learning needs of the student and not operational needs which impact the supernumerary status of students.

Activities

We have:

• consulted with our Student Committee on identifying activities for this resolution
• drafted the RCN Nursing Workforce Standards checklist for student nurses which will be published shortly
• undertaken a survey with our student members to identify:
  • their last placement experience and student rota changes. Data will be collected in the same way as the registered nurses Last Shift Survey
  • the extent of student nurse rota changes
  • supernumerary status and the effect on student learning

We will:

• review the findings from the student members survey at the UK Students Committee and share with the membership
• update the RCN Raising concerns web page to support students in raising concerns in their placement areas as identified in the Nursing Workforce Standards checklist.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

Students more able to identify and challenge inappropriate rostering, supporting their learning and supernumerary status.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress asks RCN Council to lobby employers to ensure that female employees are supported with specific women’s health and wellbeing needs such as menopause, menstruation, fertility care, pregnancy and childbirth.

Key message

Members need support with a range of reproductive conditions in the workplace. There is currently a big focus on the menopause and awareness needs to be raised for a number of reproductive conditions and issues, including endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, menstruation, miscarriage, fertility treatment, working when breast feeding, perimenopause and their link with mental health.

Activities

We have:

• drafted a position statement for the Trade Union Committee to review and approve
• held a session at the Spring 2024 Joint Reps Conference on menstrual wellbeing at work.

We will:

• produce guidance to manage conditions in the workplace titled Female reproductive health at work
• launch the RCN’s position statement at a webinar at the end of July.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

Greater awareness of how to manage and support female reproductive health in the workplace.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress asks RCN Council to examine the case for the RCN to join the Trades Union Congress.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

This resolution was not passed at RCN Congress 2023.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses how it can support and improve awareness of unconscious bias within health care.

Key message

Unconscious (or implicit) bias describes the associations we hold that are believed to be outside our conscious awareness and control. Unconscious bias affects everyone and awareness of it is central to improving health care for both colleagues and patients.

Activities

We have:

• continued to promote the RCN Cultural Ambassador programme, which responds effectively to incidents of unconscious bias.

We will:

• develop an equity, diversity and inclusion toolkit and launch it by November 2024
• hold an in-person workshop on unconscious bias at the RCN EDI Conference, which will be held in December 2024.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

Recognising unconscious bias will support members to deliver and advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in their workplaces and care.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress acknowledges the 75th anniversary of the creation of the NHS and the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush generation to staff the service.

Status

RCN Council agreed that no further action was required for this item.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to ensure that the RCN is an anti-racist organisation.

Key message

Tackling incidents of racism is not enough. Organisations and individuals must proactively seek to change the systems, processes and environments which enable discrimination and inequity.

This resolution commits us to a transformational programme, that will require time to deliver as it focuses on listening to and responding intelligently to the lived experiences of members, staff and other stakeholders and redesigning process and structures to prevent discrimination and deliver equity.

Activities

We have:

• organised a member working group which seeks to support those active in the governance structure to embed anti-racist practice in behaviour and decision-making. The group also seeks to ensure that anti-racist practice is embedded throughout our RCN Institute of Clinical Excellence structure and in human resources practice for all RCN staff
• arranged a series of summits focussing on the lived experience of global majority members. Each summit brings together global majority members from across the 4 countries and throughout the membership structure. The first summit was held on 25 April 2024 and brought together subject matter experts and those with lived experience. Subsequent sessions are scheduled for June, September, and November 2024. There are 3 phases of this transformational work. Phase 1 will focus on member support, phase 2, governance and structures and phase 3, RCN staff
• devised an action plan that recognises the long-term and transformative nature of this specific resolution. In the first instance to explore member interaction with the RCN at different stages of the working cycle
• been reviewing feedback from global majority members on their experiences of RCN representation
• changed recruitment practices
• looked at how we can target specific communities when we hold elections and appointments to representative and governance roles
• confirmed Professor Emmanuel Ogbonna from Cardiff University will join us at Congress 2024 to deliver the annual Mary Seacole lecture. As the Co-chair of the External Oversight Group for the Welsh Anti-racism plan, his insights will be particularly useful and timely for RCN members.

We will:

• define the RCN definition of anti-racism, in an organisational context, led by the working group. The agreed definition will be shared with the membership
• review our representative/staff learning and development to reflect the learning from the case work reviews
• provide reports to the new EDI Committee from June 2024
• embed the agreed action plan within the EDI Strategy delivery programme.

Status

Work in progress. This is a long-term programme, which will align with the EDI Strategy timetable.

Impact

This work on anti-racism seeks to create a trade union and professional association that is intentional in its implementation of this work and holistically embeds racially-just cultures, processes and policies that deliver racial equity in outcomes and experiences for all RCN members and staff.

You said

That this meeting of Congress calls on Council to lobby for the implementation of an evidence-based, integrated suicide prevention programme for the nursing workforce across the UK.

Key message

We will work collaboratively to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide, promoting greater understanding and empathy. We must hold our profession and the systems in which we work accountable through transparency and responsibility. Working together can cultivate a culture of civility and compassion within our teams and organisations.

Activities

We have:

• commissioned a deep dive into RCN data. The report will have actions and recommendations for us, as an organisation and the broader health and care systems.
• embedded suicide prevention as a core framework in our highly sought-after Psychosocial Interventions education programme
• met with the Health and Safety Executive as part of their reviews into work-related stress and the Reporting of Incidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 
• supported the development of the Universities of Surrey, Keele, and Birmingham’s guidance for NHS workers following the death of a colleague by suicide
• joined a stakeholder group to support research by the University of Surrey on Revisioning nurse distress and suicidality
• engaged with Oxford University’s work on suicide prevention in the health and care workforce – the most relevant focus is currently being scoped
• members on the steering committee for the development of an undergraduate and pre-registration suicide and self-harm curriculum
• Black, Asian and global majority members on the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group
• emphasised our member’s position on suicide prevention in our response to the ‘Labour Party review of mental health policy’.

We will:

• explore and understand the factors influencing suicidal thoughts among UK nursing staff
• explore and understand the support or interventions that may have helped these nursing staff manage and overcome suicidal thoughts
• develop an action plan to implement and embed best practices based on the research findings
• work across 2 of the academies of our Institute of Nursing Excellence (Nursing Practice Academy and Activism Academy) to equip our reps to support the implementation of any relevant guidance
• hold a second Suicide Prevention Summit at RCN HQ, focusing on research, data and collaboration.

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

A media piece was covered in the mainstream press, highlighting the exponential increase of reported suicidal ideation from our members accessing RCN counselling. We also have broader data of members reporting suicidal thoughts who have not accessed counselling but other support services or representation at work.

In our press release, we also referred to the work of this group. The edits also include our support/endorsement of the NHSE Suicide Prevention Toolkit, re-emphasising the toolkit’s core aims.

Our deep dive into RCN data has revealed a growing number of reports of suicidal thoughts among RCN members who contact our member services. Driven by our steering group, we have explored the underlying reasons behind these incidents. Our findings and recommendations will help members and leaders across the health and care system to better understand and address this critical issue.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to lobby all governments across the UK for production or review of dementia strategies.

Key message

Across the UK, there is variation in the level of strategic oversight covering the treatment and support for people living with dementia. As the voice of nursing, the RCN has a key role to play in working with stakeholders and coalitions to call for dementia strategies where relevant.

Activities

We have:

• been monitoring key developments and alignment with RCN positioning within each country
• continued to undertake activity to better understand the issue and identify where the RCN’s voice can make an impact, within the context of local and general elections, in partnership with key stakeholders and supporting coalition campaigns where relevant.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

We continue to engage with stakeholders and monitor developments in this area, looking for opportunities to support campaigning efforts in collaboration with others, and to include this positioning in key influencing content.

Having clear, consistent strategies across the UK, replacing the variation that exists now, will benefit the treatment and support for people living with dementia.

You said

That this meeting of Congress urges RCN Council to lobby health care providers and commissioners to mandate appropriate and sufficient provision to avoid inappropriate placement for autistic people.

Key message

Across health and social care, autistic people are not receiving the support they need. Too frequently this results in autistic people being inappropriately placed in other services which can be detrimental to their physical and mental health and their autism needs in general.

Activities

We have:

• drafted a position statement and consulted with the Autism Nurse Consultant Network, the RCN Learning Disability Nurse Forum, and autistic people regarding the content
• requested a literature review from our library service to ensure that the references included are the most recent, most relevant, and the position statement reflects policy and practice across the UK.

We will:

• publish the position statement shortly after Congress.

Status

Work in progress.

Impact

This position statement will provide a platform for further action from the RCN in terms of supporting strategic development of support for autistic people.

You said

That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the case for a separate nursing pay spine within Agenda for Change.

Key message

A commitment to explore the potential for a separate nursing pay spine within the NHS was part of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 pay offer and award. The RCN has responded to the government call for evidence.

Activities

We have:

• held initial meetings with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) since early 2023. These have been exploratory and progress has been slow
• responded to the Westminster government’s consultation on the potential for a separate pay spine, which was announced in January. Over 7,000 RCN members responded to our request for feedback. These responses helped shape the RCN’s response.

Status

Complete – further work will be business as usual.

Impact

The impact of a separate nursing pay spine can only be speculated at this stage. However, a separate and bespoke nursing pay spine would have significant implications for the profession and the NHS if implemented.