Interested in becoming an RCN representative?

If you are an RCN member in the East Midlands, have you thought about becoming an RCN representative in your workplace?

As an RCN representative you have the opportunity to make an even greater difference to patients and the working lives of yourself and your colleagues - as well as increasing your knowledge, developing new and transferable skills and influencing important decisions.

It doesn't matter if you are registered nurse or midwife or a health care assistant, or whether you work in the NHS or not, you can get more involved in the RCN's day-to-day activities by becoming an accredited local representative.

Nursing student members can also become a student information officer and help signpost their fellow students to sources of professional information, advice and support.

What support will you receive? 

The work of an RCN representative is often stimulating and enjoyable, but it can also be personally challenging.

But if you are committed to helping to achieve important improvements in the working lives of nurses and health care assistants that also help patients, you are just the type of person we are looking for.

As an RCN representative you are:

• fully supported by RCN staff and other representatives who work in your area
• specially trained, with your continuing learning and development needs met by a wide-ranging development programme
• legally entitled to paid time off to carry out your duties as a rep
• able to access a wealth of supporting resources and information on the RCN's website
• kept up to date with news and information via the monthly newsletter Activate
• invited to attend national conferences and events
• eligible for special awards recognising your hard work and achievements

What are the kinds of RCN representative?

There are three types of accredited RCN representative:

• steward - who support and represent members in the workplace and work with other unions to maintain positive employment relations with management
• safety representative - who work to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for staff
• learning representative - who support the learning and career development of their fellow RCN members.

More information and how to apply

• download the representatives recruitment leaflet (PDF 1.55MB) [how to access PDF files] and complete the short form at the back 
• contact RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100 to request the representatives recruitment leaflet (please quote publication code 003 340)
• contact your local RCN representative or the East Midlands regional office.

The completed form should be sent to the East Midlands regional office who will then contact you to arrange an informal chat to discuss the role. If you decide you'd like to proceed with your application, you'll then receive an application form.

To apply, you need to be nominated by two RCN members. These are people who believe you would make a good representative, and may be a colleague from your local RCN branch or a work colleague.

After you have completed the application form, indicating what type of representative you wish to be, it should be sent to the secretary of your local RCN branch.

There will be a workplace election, after which the branch will ratify your nomination as an elected trade union representative, and the regional office will inform your employer that you are an accredited RCN representative.