Employment Relations Department

The Employment Relations Department (ERD) provides the UK strategic lead for nurses' pay, and terms and conditions wherever they are employed in the health and social care sector. This includes leading negotiations to improve pay and working conditions for nursing staff in the NHS and in the independent and private sectors.

If you have an enquiry about your individual employment situation, please ring RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100 or contact your country or regional office.

Through commissioned research and working with external stakeholders, we gather and provide up to date information on the nursing labour market, workforce developments, and changes in policies as well as economic and political trends that have an impact on the nursing workforce. ERD represents RCN members as part of the wider family of NHS trade unions and also through the various partnership structures that represent members working outside of the NHS.

ERD has a role in ensuring health care environments are socially inclusive and diversity is recognised as a valuable feature of work. Another important area of work for ERD is in influencing policy that affects nurses' physical and psychosocial working environments. We are responsible for supporting an effective workplace representative structure for stewards, learning reps and safety reps across the UK.

ERD also participates in social dialogue within Europe and contributes to the development of good employment relations for RCN members within the wider nursing professional bodies globally.

ERD publishes a number of reports (publications) including the biannual membership employment surveys and the annual labour market review as well as other reports on topics related to employment relations issues relevant to RCN members. ERD also provides information and advice to members on a number of employment relations issues, such as pay and pensions, health and safety and diversity.

The employment relations team

josie_irwin_joint_reps

Josie Irwin - Head of Employment Relations; email josie.irwin@rcn.org.uk

Janice Morton - PA to Josie Irwin, email janice.morton@rcn.org.uk

Karen Didovich - Senior Employment Relations Adviser: workforce - roles and representation; email karen.didovich@rcn.org.uk

Nicola Lee - Employment Relations Adviser; email nicola.lee@rcn.org.uk

Rachael McIlroy– Research and Information Officer; email rachael.mcilroy@rcn.org.uk

Kim Sunley - Senior Employment Relations Adviser: working environment and health and safety; email kim.sunley@rcn.org.uk

Gary Kirwan – Employment Relations Adviser; email gary.kirwan@rcn.org.uk

Gerry O’Dwyer - Senior Employment Relations Adviser: Pay & Pensions; email gerry.o’dwyer@rcn.org.ukUK policy lead for pay, terms and conditions and pensions

Jenny Lillywhite - Representative Support Officer; email jenny.lillywhite@rcn.org.uk

Gill Morgan – Employment Relations Adviser (seconded from South East region); email gill.morgan@rcn.org.uk

Clare Jacobs – Employment Relations Adviser (seconded from Eastern region); email
clare.jacobs@rcn.org.uk

Brian Morton - Employment Relations Adviser (seconded from Scotland); email brian.morton@rcn.org.uk

Caroline Allen - Employment Relations Administrator; email caroline.allen@rcn.org.uk

All members of the team can all be contact by postal address at: Royal College of Nursing, Employment Relations Department, 20 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0RN and by phone on 020 7647 3565.