RCN indemnity scheme

Find out more about RCN indemnity

Here we address some common questions and misconceptions about the RCN indemnity scheme.

You can also read the full terms and conditions of the scheme here.

Contracts of employment

If you work under a contract of employment, you should not need to arrange your own indemnity cover.

Your employer has vicarious liability (in other words, is responsible) for your actions and omissions at work and should provide appropriate indemnity cover for you. It is not appropriate for your employer to try to shift that responsibility, either onto you as an employee or onto the RCN as your union. This applies whether you work for the NHS or a private employer and as a result, the RCN scheme will not cover work undertaken under a contract of employment.

There is one very specific exception to this - where employed members provide paid-for travel vaccinations in a General Practice setting. For more information please see our indemnity scheme FAQ.

If your employer is refusing to provide cover for you, please contact us.

We're still here for you

Membership of the world’s largest nursing union means so much more than indemnity cover. You can still access a wide range of other services including workplace support, learning resources, professional forums and member discounts.

In particular, you can still access:

• advice and support following employment difficulties (such as disciplinary proceedings, contractual disputes, dismissals, discrimination)
• advice and representation before the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
• resources and support with your professional development (including areas such as revalidation and support for health care assistants)
• legal support with criminal proceedings arising in the course of employment
• legal support if you have an accident – anywhere, at any time.

So, even if you don’t need RCN indemnity, we’re still here for you.

Need to change your membership category?

Please call one of our Member Consultants on 0345 772 6100, choosing option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excluding bank holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate. If you'd prefer you can email us at membership@rcn.org.uk. 

We're still here for you

Membership of the world’s largest nursing union means so much more than indemnity cover. So, if you don't want to change your membership category you can still access a wide range of other services including learning resources, professional forums and member discounts.

In particular, you can still access:

• advice and support via Get help and our dedicated advice service
• resources and support with your professional development (including areas such as revalidation and support for health care support staff)

So, even if you don’t qualify for RCN indemnity, we’re still here for you.

Indemnity for bank or agency work

Please read our indemnity terms and conditions, particularly section 3: Working on a self-employed basis or running your own business and the sections around agency/bank work. Please note in particular the information about umbrella companies.

You’ll also need to ensure you meet all of the conditions of the scheme (see section 5) and none of the exclusions apply to your work (see section 6).

Finally, you need to ensure you are providing a health and social care service that is deemed acceptable under the RCN scheme. You can find out more about what this means in sections 7 and 8 of our indemnity terms and conditions.

Requests for ‘proof of RCN indemnity’

There isn’t a specific policy number for RCN indemnity - like you would have for home or car insurance. Provided you satisfy our eligibility criteria, all you need is a letter from us confirming your RCN membership and a copy of our indemnity terms and conditions. The combination of these two documents should be sufficient.

Visit MyRCN now to view and download written confirmation of your membership.

Indemnity for self-employed work

Please read our indemnity terms and conditions, particularly section 3: Working on a self-employed basis or running your own business.

You’ll also need to ensure you meet all of the conditions of the scheme (see section 5) and none of the exclusions apply to your work (see section 6).

Finally, you need to ensure you are providing a health and social care service that is deemed acceptable under the RCN scheme. You can find out more about what this means in sections 7 and 8 of our indemnity terms and conditions.

Requests for ‘proof of RCN indemnity’

There isn’t a specific policy number for RCN indemnity - like you would have for home or car insurance. Provided you satisfy our eligibility criteria, all you need is a letter from us confirming your RCN membership and a copy of our indemnity terms and conditions. The combination of these two documents should be sufficient.

Visit MyRCN now to view and download written confirmation of your membership.

Indemnity for voluntary work

Please read our indemnity terms and conditions, particularly section 4: Voluntary work.

You’ll also need to ensure you meet all of the conditions of the scheme (see section 5) and none of the exclusions apply to your work (see section 6).

Finally, you need to ensure you are providing a health and social care service that is deemed acceptable under the RCN scheme. You can find out more about what this means in sections 7 and 8 of our indemnity terms and conditions. 

Requests for ‘proof of RCN indemnity’

There isn’t a specific policy number for RCN indemnity - like you would have for home or car insurance. Provided you satisfy our eligibility criteria, all you need is a letter from us confirming your RCN membership and a copy of our indemnity terms and conditions. The combination of these two documents should be sufficient. 

Visit MyRCN now to view and download written confirmation of your membership.

Indemnity for student placements

The RCN scheme will cover student members wishing to undertake elective placements abroad, subject to the conditions and exclusions explained in our terms and conditions document. See page 10 in particular.

Please note that the scheme will not cover you for any claim made in either the United States of America or Canada, irrespective of where the alleged negligence occurred. Also, student midwives will not be covered for providing intrapartum care (wherever in the world this takes place).

Visit your MyRCN page to download written confirmation of your membership and keep it for you records.

Requests for ‘proof of RCN indemnity’

There isn’t a specific policy number for RCN indemnity - like you would have for home or car insurance. Provided you satisfy our eligibility criteria, all you need is a letter from us confirming your RCN membership and a copy of our indemnity terms and conditions. The combination of these two documents should be sufficient. 

Visit MyRCN now to view and download written confirmation of your membership.

Contact us for further help

On the basis of the answers you’ve given, we would like to put you in touch with a member of our advice team for a more detailed conversation - please contact us.