New Chair and Vice Chair of RCN Council elected

Carmel O’Boyle (pictured above left) has been elected Chair of RCN Council and will take on the role from January 2025. She works as a nurse practitioner in Merseyside, is an RCN steward, and is also currently Chair of the Greater Liverpool & Knowsley Branch and RCN North West Board.

She said: “I am beyond excited to lead RCN Council from January 2025.

“I’m committed to representing all of our members and leading the Council to making bold, transparent decisions to advance the nursing profession. I want to amplify the voices of nursing staff and ensure our members get the recognition they deserve, so we can do the best for our patients.”

Natalie Brooks has been elected as Vice Chair. She’s an emergency care staff nurse, an RCN steward, and is currently Chair of the RCN Norfolk Branch Committee and RCN Eastern Board.

She said: “Active communication is a cornerstone of my approach to being Vice Chair. It ensures that everyone feels heard, empowered, and engaged in the decision-making process. This will be key to maintaining impactful and fair decision-making within Council.”

RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Congratulations to Carmel and Natalie, I look forward to working together on the College’s priorities from 2025. These include pushing for fixes on key issues that affect nursing staff such as pay, recruitment and retention, corridor care and support for students.

“Their experience and passion will help us lead the Council to enact positive change, improving the working lives of nursing staff and improving patient care across the public and private sectors.”

As we welcome in a new Council for 2025, we want to thank the outgoing Chair and Vice Chair of RCN Council, Paul Vaughan and Theresa Porrett, for their hard work, commitment and huge contribution over the last year.

RCN Council has 17 members across the UK leading the direction of the RCN and advocating for its members. Find out more about RCN Council here.