This year I started visiting IHSC workplaces and meeting with nursing colleagues to talk about my role and the RCN offer for members who work outside the NHS. Thank you to all the services that have opened their doors to me and continue to do so. I enjoy being able to meet colleagues in their place of work and see and hear about the amazing work that is being done to deliver exceptional care. If you would like me to visit your IHSC workplace please reach out to me. I am looking forward to visiting as many care homes as I can in the South West, particularly around Care Home Open week (16  to 22 June), to champion the nursing care delivered within this setting.  

In February I couldn’t have been prouder driving our Chief Executive & General Secretary Nicola Ranger around our stunning region to meet with some of our IHSC services for her to see and hear firsthand about the amazing work that happens outside the NHS, as well as to hear about some of the very real challenges our members face. I know Nicola enjoyed having the opportunity to meet colleagues and described the conversations she had with them that day as both meaningful and insightful. These conversations will contribute to informing the independent sector-related work of the College. In addition, Nicola invited nursing colleagues from many of the services we visited to share their expertise at the RCN’s first ever Nursing in Social Care Summit held on 6 May at our HQ in London. The feedback we received from this event was also powerful in shaping and driving forward the RCN IHSC agenda. 

As a team of IHSC lead nurses we continue to develop our IHSC webpage: Nursing across Independent Health and Social Care services. Please take a look as we aim to make this a useful point of reference for guiding you to what the RCN has on offer that we believe is relevant to you.

You also have access to our South West IHSC webpage, so do bookmark both webpages and add them to your favourites. 

I continue to organise and facilitate online learning events; these are free and open to RCN members and non-members alike, so please keep an eye out via our IHSC webpage under upcoming IHSC events as you will find these events are listed there, along with many other events. This year I am excited to l be organising and facilitating events covering topics including end of life care, the fundamentals of nursing and leadership.  

These will count towards CPD hours for NMC revalidation, so do book yourself onto them. Many of our South West colleagues will be sharing their expertise as presenters too.    

Earlier in the year I facilitated the first South West IHSC RCN Rep Network meeting – this online network offers a safe place for all our IHSC reps to come together and share ideas and receive relevant updates from RCN colleagues.  At this meeting our RCN IHSC Employment Standards Lead joined us to give an overview of the newly launched RCN Employment Standards for Independent Health and Social Care Sectors.   

The next network meeting planned for 22 July between 1 and 2pm so if you are an RCN rep and working in IHSC please save the date and look out for my email inviting you to book yourself on.  

If you want to know more about becoming a rep you can find more information here: RCN reps.  

My final message is please remember that every member voice needs to be heard within the RCN and I am here to make sure yours is. Please do not hesitate to contact me to learn more about the RCN IHSC professional offer and support I can provide you with: sarah.winfield-davies@rcn.org.uk.