Council members
RCN London has two Council Members who represent our region on the RCN's national governing council. RCN Council is responsible for the overall governance of the RCN and acts as the organisation's conscience in delivering its statutory activities. Our Council members are Andy McGovern and Ian Norris.
Andy McGovern
I have been involved with the RCN as a steward for 10 years and prior to that was Chair of the RCN Association of Nursing Students from 2000 - 2001. Currently I am RCN London's representative on RCN Council and Chair of the RCN London Board. I have held a number of post on RCN Council including membership of the Governance Support Committee and RCN Membership Services Committee.
I began my nursing career as a student nurses in 1999, moving to London in 2002 to be a staff nurse at the Royal London. I have worked across a number of trusts in east and central London and I am currently Matron for Children and Adolescents at Newham University Hospital NHS Trust.
I am paticularly interested in children's oncology and the nursing care of children in district general hospitals.
What matters to me is:
- upholding all things nursing at a time of major changes in the NHS
- supporting RCN members
- improving patient care.
Ian Norris
I began nursing more that 30 years ago and I know just how important it is to have a strong professional union like the RCN behind you.
With such a diversity of issues and cultures in London, it is vital that the views of London members are fully represented, both on the London Regional Board and at Council, the RCN's governing body.
What I bring to these two roles is a comprehensive knowledge of how the RCN operates and how best to influence its policies on behalf of member and to ensure that there are effective governance arrangements in place.
Just some of the issues which concern me are:
- the pace of the current health reforms and the importance of a strong voice for nursing within the new structures
- funding cuts and the impact on nurses and the care they can give patients
- the unacceptable level of abuse faced by colleagues and the daily stresses they face
- developing Learning Networks to enhance nurses' role.
I have a lot of experience of representing members in both employment and professional issues, both individually and collectively, gained over more than 30 years.