Douglas Lockhart

After much deliberation my part I have decided to stand for one of the vacant Scottish seats on the RCN Council.

I feel Scotland needs a strong voice on the Council, but that must be a person who has the UK vision to ensure the organisation is going in the right direction.

My main background is in Employment Relations having been a steward since 1979, spending 12 years on the Scottish Board, past eight years representing Scotland on the UK Stewards Committee.  I also had the honour of chairing that Committee for the past four years until October 2008.  This also meant being the RCN representative on the NHS Staff Council.  I feel that I have the experience and background in employment relations.  What then of professional issues and the strategic role of the RCN?

In the 2000 until present I am the Employee Director of Dumfries Health Board and this has given me a great grounding in strategy, planning, finance and has got me into the political arena.  I recently spent two years on the Diversity Task Force and was joint chair at the onset of this Committee.

To add to the strategic arm of my experience I was heavily involved for 5years in the early 1990s on the Scottish Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee, which was government appointed to deal with nursing issues relating to planning the way forward for nursing. I feel the experience I have outlined above equips me to fulfil the role of Scottish Council member for the RCN