Respect is a two-way street

So much has happened for us to reflect on over the past few months, things we only dreamt of. When discussing Industrial Action I have been met with such emotional responses, members feeling so strongly about our profession and the safety of our patients, that they felt that there was no option but to vote for industrial action and take to the picket lines. 

We find ourselves in the position once more of awaiting the outcome of a consultation but, for the first time, this is one which has been called as the direct result of our members taking decisive industrial action.

Throughout the six days of strikes, my fellow board members and I were out and about visiting picket lines across the region. It was a remarkable time and I have never felt more proud of our members and our profession than I was then. The passion and eloquence of those on the picket lines, and the unfailing support of those who were derogated or in trusts that did not meet the threshold to strike, was truly inspiring. You took the public with you on this journey and the steady stream of gifts and shows of support demonstrated that this was a fight that there was a real will for us to win.

And those efforts paid off with an agreement to negotiate, along with commitments including the implementation of workforce planning accountability and career development and continuous learning opportunities. This is no small win. Both appropriate recruitment and retention policies and the need to have nursing staff with the necessary skills and specialisms in post have been at the heart of our campaign for Staffing for Safe and Effective Care for many years. It is testament to the tenacity of our negotiating team that such concessions have been made by the government.

But, perhaps inevitably, the headline news is the percentage of the pay increase on offer and to say that this has not been well received by some sections of our membership would be an understatement. This I can understand – when looked at in isolation and viewed in the light of pay offers made to staff in other countries or in other areas of the public sector, it may feel like the gulf in what you deserve and what you get remains wide. And so we await our ballot results and see what happens next. This has brought out passion in our members and you are shouting loudly for our profession As I have said many times, we, The RCN, are the voice of nursing, but we must hear your voices!

However, I have been personally and professionally distressed to both witness and receive deeply unpleasant online attacks from fellow members of our profession regarding this offer being taken to consultation. Disappointment and frustration are no excuse for the bullying and threatening tone of many of the comments directed at the staff, council and representatives of the College and it is absolutely unacceptable.

We all, when taking membership of the RCN, agree to abide by its Respect Charter, which includes the commitment to ‘treat everyone with courtesy and respect, and act with integrity at all times’. Social media can be a difficult space to be in at times and I ask you all, as fellow nurses and fellow members, to consider the impact of your words and actions upon others, and to also bear in mind the NMC’s code of conduct. We are better than this and fighting amongst ourselves will not persuade the government to see us for the skilled professionals that we are.

On a much more positive note, we look forward to coming together in Brighton for RCN Congress next month. After a somewhat turbulent period I very much hope that this will prove an opportunity for us to work together again and to reaffirm our commitment to promoting and pioneering the very best of nursing. Congress is free to attend and you can still book your place here.

I am pleased and proud that our region is well represented as always and that my own branch team, Greater Liverpool and Knowsley, have a number of items on the agenda for discussion. Ours is a highly engaged and active branch and its members show great commitment in attending our regular branch meetings and taking an active role in organising events and opportunities to promote further learning and to support each other.

At the time of writing, our region is seeking members of the Greater Manchester branch to put themselves forward for a role on their branch executive committee and I can personally vouch for how rewarding playing your part in the RCN at a local level can be. Every branch requires an exec committee to function and, sadly, there is a risk that the branch would be disbanded without members coming forward to offer their time. You can read about the different committee roles in the Branches section here and, if you are a members of the GM branch and are interested in putting yourself forward, please email our Regional Administrator Carole Glaister with your details and your thoughts on which role you would be interested in taking.

You don’t need me to tell you that your time is precious and that the demands on it are many. As such, it may sound hollow to pass on my hopes that you had an opportunity to rest and enjoy time with your loved ones over the Bank Holidays. So instead I shall merely wish, regardless of your religion or circumstances, however you celebrate, that you relish this time of year as an opportunity to eat as much chocolate as you wish without judgement!