This week, I have been participating in the 75th World Health Assembly as part of the International Council of Nurses delegation. The theme for this year's World Health Assembly is Health for Peace, Peace for Health. Events began on 22 May with speeches from the elected World Health Assembly President and an address by the WHO Director-General Dr Tedros. WHO member states re-elected Dr Tedros to serve a second five-year term as Director-General of the WHO. In his opening address, Dr Tedros spoke about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as many other crises in our world, including a convergence of disease, drought, famine and war, fuelled by climate change, inequity and geopolitical rivalry. As a member of ICN, the RCN looks forward to working with Dr Tedros and the WHO to progress global health priorities.
I attended the ICN/WHA virtual luncheon and briefing held on the 24 May and it was brilliant to see nursing staff from over 50 countries participate. The ICN President, Pam Cipriano, gave an opening presentation as well as the WHO Chief Nurse, ICN CEO and the Chair of the Nursing Student steering group. I am truly delighted the College has re-joined the ICN as together, we play a significant role in tackling global health priorities.
Many of you will be preparing for our 2022 Congress which is taking place in Glasgow. It is brilliant to be meeting again in person. On Sunday 5 June we start with our AGM and opening ceremony. Congress sets the priorities for the RCN for the year ahead and is a key week of debates and learning - making sure we tackle the big issues facing our profession. You can still book to join us for our AGM or virtually for RCN Congress on our website.
This year, the AGM will include an update from the Chair of the Governance Support Committee, Council member Geoff Earl, on the KPMG report published today. The KPMG report is part of Council’s review of the governance of the College. Members can read the report on our website.
This week marks one year since the launch of the RCN’s Nursing Workforce Standards – the first of their kind. A key part of our Staffing for Safe and Effective Care work, these Standards are applicable in all settings and all countries of the UK, wherever nursing care is delivered. Find out more about the Standards and how you can use them in your role.
In Scotland, negotiations on the NHS pay award for 2022-23 began this week. A virtual meeting was held between the RCN and other health trade unions and the Scottish government and NHS employers - the first time our joint pay claim for an above-inflation pay award has been discussed formally. Although the Scottish government committed to direct negotiations with the health trade unions late last year, it only recently agreed to a start date. RCN Scotland will be pressing the Scottish government to make sure the negotiations are now a priority and that the process comes to a timely conclusion.
In Northern Ireland, following the recent Northern Ireland Assembly election, we signed a collective statement with other Royal Colleges urging elected representatives to put patients first and form an Executive. We have warned the health service in Northern Ireland is on the verge of collapse with chronic workforce shortages and burnt-out staff who are contemplating leaving their roles. The situation could not be more serious.
Our members in Scotland and Wales are encouraged to nominate their colleagues for our inaugural RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards and for our 10th RCN Wales Nurse of the Year Awards. Please do nominate your colleagues for these prestigious awards. This is the first year Nurse of the Year celebrations will be held in all four UK countries.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, members of our Forum Chairs Committee have been working together to explore how clinical supervision might be an appropriate mechanism to support nursing staff in dealing with workforce pressures. A scoping review was undertaken to bring together existing research on how clinical supervision is delivered and FCC members have recently had a paper published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing. This is the College at our best – with our forums contributing to a wide range of RCN professional work and delivering our Royal Charter. Members can find out more about this work, and how to get involved, on our website.
Since my last update to you, there are two key changes in our senior elected membership. Graham Revie, the Scottish member and Chair of the Trade Union Committee, has announced his retirement from the committee this year. He has given many years of dedicated service to the College and its members, and he will be missed. Professor Alison Leary, the London member of the Professional Nursing Committee, has also left her role to focus on other work. We were very fortunate to have Alison's great expertise with the committee for the last two years and I know she will be no stranger to the RCN for years to come.
Finally, I want to address some of the concerns members have raised with me directly since we cancelled a recent RCN Libraries event. I know that some members have raised concerns about the comments they have seen on social media related to the event. The RCN does not tolerate any form of discrimination towards our members or staff, and everyone should be treated with courtesy and respect at all times.
I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible at Congress and for those joining virtually, I am also delighted you are taking part.