The world's largest combined nursing trade union and professional body, with a membership of over half a million, the RCN is a member-led organisation.

Every element of our organisation and every piece of our work has a governance framework around it, overseeing and holding it to account.

Working alongside expert external advisers, our governance roles, at every level, are held almost exclusively by our members.

Governance positions 

There are over 1,000 governance positions on:

• Branch Committees
• Boards
• Forum Steering Committees
• Forums Co-ordinating Committee
• Forum Chairs Group
• Committees of students and nursing support workers
• Reps Committees
• Functional, scrutiny and advisory committees
• Fellows Co-ordinating Committee
• Our two principal committees – the Trade Union and Professional Nursing committees
• Council which under the direction of its Chair, leads the strategic direction of the RCN and makes important decisions for the RCN on behalf of, and in the best interests of, our members.

As well as these governance positions, our members work in partnership with staff led by the General Secretary and Chief Executive, who is appointed by Council, and the Executive Team, collaborating on and co-producing work to progress the organisational strategy.

Member engagement and participation

We are member informed. We use the expertise held in our professional membership to ensure that we are professionally and clinically relevant for the benefit of our members and the wider nursing profession.

As well as direct governance activity, we take every opportunity to provide avenues for member engagement and participation. For example:

• Contributing to consultations 
• Attending a Pride event
• Responding to a survey
• Emailing an MP
• Voting in an RCN election
• Attending Congress as a voting or non-voting member
• Submitting a Congress Agenda item
• Asking a question at the AGM 
• Taking strike action
• Joining a Forum
• Becoming a Nursing Workforce Standard Champion
• Nominating members for awards
• Having a workplace conversation about an RCN issue
• Attending a learning event
• Becoming an activist
• Participating in job evaluation
• Contacting RCND for advice
• Advocating for RCN membership in the workplace
• Following the RCN on social media
• Attending a branch meeting
• Becoming a Student Ambassador
• Accessing RCN Learn
• Visiting and accessing an RCN library
• Participating in Nursing Support Worker/International Nurses days

But providing opportunities is not enough and our primary focus is always to maximise the amount and extent of member engagement in these activities. Interest in, and engagement with, all our various activities can vary greatly, but we're committed to maximising engagement at every opportunity.