As we enter the new year, I want to start by saying how impressed I have been by the strength and courage of you, our members, to raise our collective voice during my first year as RCN President. It has been inspiring to work with and hear from so many of you - you are the experts who know how we must improve the future of the nursing profession. You raised your voices loudly on many important issues facing the profession today – staffing, corridor care and on NHS pay. In the past weeks, we've been demonstrating to the UK government just how restricted nursing career progression and pay growth are in the NHS today. There will be more detail soon about talks between government and the RCN.
A year ago, shortly after I started as RCN President, we launched our devastating report showing just how widespread the problem of corridor care was. What an incredible job you all did to expose the truth about the treatment patients are receiving in our hospitals.
Because your collective voice is being heard and the pressure for action is mounting. We’ve been promised time and time again by the UK Government that they will be publishing data on corridor care soon, but we are still waiting. It’s not good enough.
Last week we released new testimony from you, our members, showing the damaging effects it continues to have. And you told us that you feel ashamed, angry, and embarrassed about the unsafe, undignified care you are forced to deliver to patients. It’s a problem that affects us right across the UK and which the recent Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) report found to be a year-round issue.
It’s clear that it’s taking a terrible toll on us as nursing staff – it's something I hear from members so often. But decisive action can restore care standards and stop staff morale collapsing past the point of no return.
The onus is on Ministers to make sure you don’t lose hope - they need to act now and publish the data, alongside announcing a fully funded action plan and timeline for eradication.
Thank you to all of our members who have raised their voices on corridor care to show why this issue matters and why it demands urgent action. Let’s stay loud and ensure we keep the pressure on to ensure they publish this important data.
Recently The Guardian published its investigation, supported by the RCN, on the deeply concerning rise in violence and sexual assault against staff across the health service. This is such a difficult topic to talk about and it takes great bravery from all those involved to help shine a light on this completely unacceptable situation. The investigation showed that nurses, doctors and paramedics are reporting tens of thousands of violent and sexual assaults by patients every year, amid warnings that the abuse of NHS staff has become a national crisis. It’s an area that hasn’t had enough focus so I want to thank everyone who has shown great bravery to raise their voices.
This is an emergency – health care professionals, especially in an overwhelmingly female workforce like nursing, should never face the prospect of being sexually assaulted, violently assaulted or sometimes both, while trying to care for patients. The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting and NHS England need to urgently get to grips with this crisis. We also believe that some NHS trusts are in breach of their legal duties under the Health and Safety Act and the worker protection act, which requires employers to keep their staff safe at work.
It’s also important to remember that while the RCN is here to fight for your rights, it also provides you with the tools for doing your jobs – whether you’re a student nurse, or at any stage right through to advanced level nursing. There are a wealth of professional development opportunities available to you, with information on our website.
One of the ways we are supporting nurses and nursing in the UK and globally through evidence-based research, leadership development, and innovation is through the RCN Institute of Nursing Excellence. And today we have launched the Institute’s first End of Year Report, reflecting on the highlights and achievements the RCN Institute has had in 2025. We’ve made some great progress in the last year, including embedding equity, diversity and inclusion across programmes and partnerships; supporting members with leadership development, resources and advice; and launching the RCN research strategy. We’ve done this by offering practical resources, expert guidance, and opportunities to collaborate.
The Institute is so important because it is helping members lead change - not just adapt to it. It is enabling nurses to act with confidence, backed by evidence and a strong professional and activist community. We need to embrace the work of the Institute as a great tool for making change happen.
I know that you will all continue to raise your voice throughout the year. You can find out more about how to do that on our website. And if you’re a student nurse, read five easy ways you especially can get involved with the RCN today and shape our profession now and in the future.
An opportunity for all our members to do that is at RCN Congress in May – there is so much for us to discuss. It's a great opportunity to network, hear from exceptional keynote speakers and take part in vibrant debates about the issues affecting the nursing workforce and nursing-led solutions. If you haven’t done so already, book your free place now.
A year ago, shortly after I started as RCN President, we launched our devastating report showing just how widespread the problem of corridor care was. What an incredible job you all did to expose the truth about the treatment patients are receiving in our hospitals.
Because your collective voice is being heard and the pressure for action is mounting. We’ve been promised time and time again by the UK Government that they will be publishing data on corridor care soon, but we are still waiting. It’s not good enough.
Last week we released new testimony from you, our members, showing the damaging effects it continues to have. And you told us that you feel ashamed, angry, and embarrassed about the unsafe, undignified care you are forced to deliver to patients. It’s a problem that affects us right across the UK and which the recent Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) report found to be a year-round issue.
It’s clear that it’s taking a terrible toll on us as nursing staff – it's something I hear from members so often. But decisive action can restore care standards and stop staff morale collapsing past the point of no return.
The onus is on Ministers to make sure you don’t lose hope - they need to act now and publish the data, alongside announcing a fully funded action plan and timeline for eradication.
Thank you to all of our members who have raised their voices on corridor care to show why this issue matters and why it demands urgent action. Let’s stay loud and ensure we keep the pressure on to ensure they publish this important data.
Recently The Guardian published its investigation, supported by the RCN, on the deeply concerning rise in violence and sexual assault against staff across the health service. This is such a difficult topic to talk about and it takes great bravery from all those involved to help shine a light on this completely unacceptable situation. The investigation showed that nurses, doctors and paramedics are reporting tens of thousands of violent and sexual assaults by patients every year, amid warnings that the abuse of NHS staff has become a national crisis. It’s an area that hasn’t had enough focus so I want to thank everyone who has shown great bravery to raise their voices.
This is an emergency – health care professionals, especially in an overwhelmingly female workforce like nursing, should never face the prospect of being sexually assaulted, violently assaulted or sometimes both, while trying to care for patients. The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting and NHS England need to urgently get to grips with this crisis. We also believe that some NHS trusts are in breach of their legal duties under the Health and Safety Act and the worker protection act, which requires employers to keep their staff safe at work.
It’s also important to remember that while the RCN is here to fight for your rights, it also provides you with the tools for doing your jobs – whether you’re a student nurse, or at any stage right through to advanced level nursing. There are a wealth of professional development opportunities available to you, with information on our website.
One of the ways we are supporting nurses and nursing in the UK and globally through evidence-based research, leadership development, and innovation is through the RCN Institute of Nursing Excellence. And today we have launched the Institute’s first End of Year Report, reflecting on the highlights and achievements the RCN Institute has had in 2025. We’ve made some great progress in the last year, including embedding equity, diversity and inclusion across programmes and partnerships; supporting members with leadership development, resources and advice; and launching the RCN research strategy. We’ve done this by offering practical resources, expert guidance, and opportunities to collaborate.
The Institute is so important because it is helping members lead change - not just adapt to it. It is enabling nurses to act with confidence, backed by evidence and a strong professional and activist community. We need to embrace the work of the Institute as a great tool for making change happen.
I know that you will all continue to raise your voice throughout the year. You can find out more about how to do that on our website. And if you’re a student nurse, read five easy ways you especially can get involved with the RCN today and shape our profession now and in the future.
An opportunity for all our members to do that is at RCN Congress in May – there is so much for us to discuss. It's a great opportunity to network, hear from exceptional keynote speakers and take part in vibrant debates about the issues affecting the nursing workforce and nursing-led solutions. If you haven’t done so already, book your free place now.
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