The nominations for Regional Board members have now closed, and the election process is underway. I would like to thank all members who put themselves forward for election and expressed an interest in becoming part of the Board.

I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to those Board members who are stepping down. Their time, experience and dedication have made an important contribution to our work and are greatly valued. Serving on the Board is an excellent opportunity to bring new perspectives, ideas and experience to our work, while helping to shape the future of nursing and strengthen our regional voice. I encourage all members to engage with the election process and make sure their voices are heard.

Earlier this year, I wrote about the region’s A Rep Like Me campaign drawing on my own personal experiences. The campaign aims to recruit more members to become a local representative and as our staff and reps travel far and wide to talk about the Know Your Worth job evaluation campaign, there never has there been more a more significant period to become a rep.

Being a rep is a hugely rewarding opportunity to make a positive difference. Reps support colleagues through workplace issues, help members understand their rights and work with employers to promote fairness, equality and safe, healthy working environments. They also help ensure that members’ voices are heard and that concerns are addressed collectively.

We are particularly keen to encourage more members to become involved in job evaluation. Job evaluation is an important process that supports fair and consistent decisions about the value of roles and helps protect the principle of equal pay for work of equal value. Having well-informed and trained representatives involved in this work is essential to ensuring that members are properly supported and that the process is applied fairly and transparently.

I also wanted to make you aware of several important employment law changes taking effect in this month that members should be aware of:  

• Employment tribunal time limits: The time limit for bringing most employment tribunal claims is increasing from three months to six months for relevant claims arising on or after 1 October 2026. Transitional arrangements may apply, so members should seek advice promptly if they believe they have an employment issue.
• Fair pay in adult social care: Regulations are being introduced to establish an Adult Social Care Negotiating Body in England. This is intended to support negotiations on pay, terms and conditions, training and career progression within the adult social care sector.
• Prevention of sexual harassment: From 30 October 2026, employers will be required to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. Members should be aware of their rights and should raise concerns through the appropriate workplace, trade union or support channels.

I would like to end by encouraging you to attend the North West’s Black History Month event which takes place on Thursday 22 October. Open to all North West RCN members, you are invited to join us in celebration, to listen to speakers, to ask questions and join in with the discussions and workshops. This year we will be exploring the theme: From Allyship to Action: Building an Inclusive, Anti-Racist Future for Nursing.

Black History Month represents a welcome opportunity for all of us to celebrate the continuing contributions that Black nurses, health care support workers, and students have made to the health and social care community.