But nursing, workplaces and member expectations have changed significantly, so we're reviewing our branch structure to ensure local member participation, engagement and representation grow and strengthen into the future.

Your participation in our Branch Review Survey is key to moving this work forward.

The review, which is evidence-led and shaped by member opinion and participation, has been prompted by concerns about how effectively the current branch structures meet the needs and expectations of our members.

The review will engage our members on five key areas that focus on the existence, purpose, mission, structure and resourcing of local branches.

You can find out more about this and other key questions by reading our FAQs.

Branch Review Member Group

The Branch Review Member Group is comprised of the members listed below.

Terms of reference

Our consultation on the terms of reference closed on 23 February. Thank you to those who responded – we gathered valuable feedback and, as a result, the terms of reference have been updated.

FAQs

We’re reviewing our branch structure to ensure local member participation, engagement and representation, and to make sure our branches remain relevant and accessible to members and fit for the future.

Branches have played an important role in the RCN for more than 100 years. However, nursing, workplaces and members' expectations have changed significantly over that time. The review will explore whether our current way of doing things the best way to support and engage members.

Feedback from members, branch officers and RCN staff has highlighted generally poor member engagement, participation and experience across branches, with significant variation in experience and access. Some members participate regularly, while others face barriers to engagement or have little contact with their branch.

The matter was raised by members for discussion at RCN Congress in 2025, and our RCN Activism Strategy included a commitment to deliver this work.

The review will explore how local member structures can better meet the needs of members in today's nursing workforce.

All members, when they join the RCN, automatically become a member of their local branch. Members are assigned to a branch based on their permanent workplace address.

Retired members, agency workers and members not in employment are assigned to a branch based on their home address.

No decisions have been made about the future of branches. The review is designed to build recommendations from evidence and perspectives gathered.

All options are being explored, including what is working well within the current branch structure and where improvements could be made.

This is an evidence-led review. The purpose is to understand members' experiences and consider what kinds of local structures will best support participation, activism, representation and organising in the future.

Recommendations will be informed by the evidence gathered during the review.

The review is asking members and staff to consider five key questions about local member structures: 

• Their existence 
• Their purpose 
• Their mission 
• Their structure 
• Their resourcing

The review will explore whether current branch arrangements should continue or whether alternative models might better support members.

Strong local structures help members come together, influence change, take action, access representation and shape the future of nursing.

The review recognises the important role branches have played in supporting members and building the RCN's strength over many decades, and the work of the volunteers who have maintained those branches.

No.

Many branches provide valuable support, representation and opportunities for members to get involved. However, experiences vary across the UK and some branches face challenges such as declining participation, difficulties filling leadership roles and low engagement.

The review aims to understand both the strengths of the current system and the challenges that members and activists experience. It also aims to give better definition to what success looks like in the branches.

The review is not a criticism of branch officers, activists or volunteers. In fact, our staff team working on this project have been witnessed so much passion and commitment demonstrated by members most involved.

We recognise and value the contribution branch volunteers have made over many years. Their commitment has helped support generations of members. The review is intended to build on those strengths while exploring how local structures can be made more sustainable and effective in the future.

As some of our most engaged members, existing role holders and activists will play a vital role in this review as they have extensive firsthand experience of the both the benefits and challenges of our current structures. The outcome of the review aims to support the effort and time invested to reach a greater number of members.

Every RCN member can make their perspective known, and be involved in helping their colleagues participate. 

We particularly want to hear from a broad and representative range of members, including: 

• Students 
• Newly registered nurses 
• Nursing support workers 
• Internationally educated nursing staff 
• Members working in the independent health and social care sectors 
• Members who have never engaged with their branch before 
• Members who are highly active within the RCN 

All experiences and perspectives are valuable. 

Members are also involved in helping us plan, strategise and analyse, and if you would like to be more involved, please get in touch with us.

Absolutely. 

One of the key aims of the review is to understand why some members do not engage with local structures and what would make participation easier, more relevant and more accessible. 

Your feedback is particularly important because it can help identify barriers that may currently prevent members from getting involved.

Members can participate by completing the Branch Review Survey and by joining our Virtual Focus Groups.

The survey asks for your views on current arrangements and how you would like to engage with the RCN and fellow members in the future.

The Virtual Focus Groups will be an opportunity for members to have deeper discussions in groups to explore member’s experiences and ideas for future branches.

We want to understand: 

• What works well in current branches 
• What does not work well 
• Barriers to participation 
• How members want to organise and engage with each other 
• Whether geographical branches remain the best model or whether members would prefer to connect differently for example based on their employer, role, specialism or sector 
• How local structures can better reflect modern nursing and health care workplaces 

We welcome a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

Feedback from surveys, focus groups and other engagement activity will be reviewed as evidence to help inform recommendations about the future of local member structures.

No decisions have been made and the review is still in its evidence-gathering phase.

The member survey will remain open while recommendations are being developed, and any future proposals would be considered through the RCN's governance processes before being implemented.

More information about the review can be found in our recent news story, and opportunities to get involved will be shared through RCN communications channels throughout the review period.

We will continue to provide updates as the review progresses and encourage all members to take part in shaping the future of local member engagement.

No decisions have been made about future structures.

A key aim of the review is to ensure members continue to have meaningful opportunities to connect, organise, influence decisions and access support locally.

The review is exploring how local member engagement can be strengthened, not reduced. Any recommendations will be informed by the evidence and feedback provided by members.

The nursing workforce, workplaces and ways of communicating have changed significantly.

The review provides an opportunity to ensure local member structures continue to meet members' needs and support the RCN's future ambitions for activism, representation and member engagement.

Many of our staff, particularly those working on our national and regional offices work closely with members every day and are directly involved in supporting the day to day running of RCN branches. Their passion for delivering for our members and making the RCN  the best that it can be is second to none.

Staff involvement will help ensure the review is informed by operational experience as well as member feedback. Their perspectives, alongside those of members and activists, will help build a fuller picture of what is working well, where barriers exist, and how local member structures can best support members in the future.