Denise Kelly

Chair and Member for Northern Ireland, January 2026 - December 2029

Denise has 29 years’ experience in health and social care. She started her career as an auxiliary nurse in 1992 and began her registered nurse training in 1995 at The Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Her many roles have included junior and senior staff nurse, ward manager and night sister, across intensive care, coronary care and patient flow, among other areas. She currently works as a full time senior clinical nurse coordinator on the Hospital At Night team.

Denise has undertaken postgraduate study in Health Service Management, Cardiology Nursing and Facilitation and Practice Development. She graduated with a postgraduate qualification in Strategic Workforce Planning in March 2020, and is currently undertaking a postgraduate taught study in non-medical prescribing. She is due to graduate in May 2022.

Due to this extensive experience, Denise understands the challenges facing RCN members. She is proud to be a dedicated RCN member, accredited Steward, health and safety representative and activist. Denise is also the current chair of the RCN’s Northern Branch.

Her primary focus is on the pay campaign and safe staffing, especially following successful industrial action undertaken by RCN members in Northern Ireland. Denise is passionate about the trade union work of the RCN, while also recognising the importance of its professional nursing work.

Denise received the RCN Award of Merit in 2020 for exceptional service to members.

Get in touch: TUC.NorthernIreland@rcn.org.uk

Tobias Kunkel

Vice Chair and Member for Scotland, January 2024 - December 2027

Tobias has more than 20 years nursing experience working in several large UK and EU hospital trusts, and is currently employed by NHS Lothian in Edinburgh as a Senior Nurse Practitioner in the Minor Injuries Unit. He is a passionate campaigner for safeguarding and improving the health, safety and wellbeing of staff and patients. A member of the RCN since 2001, Tobias is currently Treasurer of the Lothian and Borders branch committee. He is dual accredited as an RCN Steward and Safety Rep, and is a member of the Pan-Lothian Health and Safety Committee and the Joint Staffside Committee. Tobias believes in the importance of building strong relationships, and is driven by a deep sense of fairness, and will bring this approach to his time on the committee.

Get in touch: TUC.Scotland@rcn.org.uk 

Helen Oatham

Member for Eastern, January 2026 - December 2029

Helen is a registered mental health nurse with over 25 years’ experience in primary and secondary care and secure services. She is currently governance lead for an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service – a partnership between the NHS and other organisations.

Helen has been an RCN steward since 2007. As well as providing individual member support, she sits on her trust’s Staff Side committee. Within the RCN, Helen has held various positions on the Branch Executive and is currently chair of the RCN’s Norfolk Branch. Prior to being appointed to the Trade Union Committee, she served for six years on the Eastern Region Board, ultimately as Vice-Chair.

Helen is an active speaker at the RCN Congress. She is also heavily involved in campaign activities, notably speaking to MPs in Parliament about staffing and pay.

Get in touch: TUC.Eastern@rcn.org.uk

Sharon Osborne

Member for East Midlands, January 2026 - December 2029

Biography to follow.

Get in touch: TUC.EastMidlands@rcn.org.uk

Noeleen Behan

Member for London, January 2026 - December 2029

Biography to follow.

Get in touch: TUC.London@rcn.org.uk

Vacant

Member for Northern

This seat is currently vacant.

Maggy Heaton

Member for North West, January 2026 - December 2029

Biography to follow.

Get in touch: TUC.NorthWest@rcn.org.uk

Nicole Forbes

Member for South East, March 2025 - December 2027

Biography to follow.

Get in touch: TUC.SouthEast@rcn.org.uk

Emmanuel Asimah

Member for South West, January 2026 - December 2027

Biography to follow.

Get in touch: TUC.SouthWest@rcn.org.uk

Jackie Davies

Member for Wales, January 2024 - December 2027

As a registered nurse, Jackie has a clinical professional background in mental health nursing and forensic psychiatry. An experienced Trade Unionist, Jackie has an interest in healthcare law, clinical negligence and employment law. Jackie graduated in law with an LLB (Hons) in 2006. In 2014 Jackie also obtained a Masters Degree in Healthcare Law and Ethics from Swansea University. Jackie is a board member with the Royal College of Nursing Wales Board, she has been a branch official within the RCN Glamorgan branch for several years holding various positions such as Chair, Treasurer, secretary and more recently Communications officer.

Jackie is currently an independent member of the Board of Swansea Bay University Health Board, a public appointment she has held since 2017. She is Chair of the Swansea Bay Armed Forces Forum and Chair of the Swansea Bay Organ Donation Committee.

Get in touch: TUC.Wales@rcn.org.uk

Mark Butler

Member for West Midlands, January 2024 - December 2027

Mark became an RCN Activist as a student, when he was a Student Information Officer. Shortly after becoming a Registered Nurse, Mark completed his accreditation as an RCN Steward and has continued to represent RCN members for 25 years. He has represented the RCN West Midlands by Chairing the regional Staffing for Safe and Effective Care Campaign, as well as serving as RCN West Midlands Board Chair for three years from 2019 to 2021.

At the end of his time as Board Chair, Mark had decided to step away from his RCN roles to retire, however the monumental industrial action ballot by members kept him busy. Mark felt lucky to welcome new members of the RCN to his NHS Trust and a number of new activists too, so chose to continue in his role as a Steward. He was humbled to be awarded the RCN Award of Merit in 2023 for his service with the RCN in the West Midlands. Mark was appointed to the Trade Union Committee in 2023, and hopes to continue to support the RCN West Midlands Region and the amazing nurses and the nursing family represented there.

Get in touch: TUC.WestMidlands@rcn.org.uk

Rhian Wheater

Member for Yorkshire and the Humber, January 2024 - December 2027

Biography to follow.

Get in touch: TUC.YorksandHumber@rcn.org.uk

Richard Nelson

Nursing Support Worker member, January 2026 - December 2029

Biography to follow.

Get in touch: TUC.NursingSupportWorker@rcn.org.uk

Mordecai Akoh

Student member, January 2026 - December 2027

Biography to follow.

Get in touch: TUC.Student@rcn.org.uk