On Saturday 28 March I joined the Together Alliance rally in London alongside other RCN members. The rally was part of a collective resistance to the rise of the far right and anti-immigration rhetoric in our society.

I was grateful to have the opportunity to speak to the crowds - people from across the UK united in hope, and to share the RCN’s dedication to anti-racism.

 
I came to this country fifteen years ago to practice critical care nursing and a few years later my wife, sister and brother-in-law joined me here. All of us are NHS nurses, trained in India, working in the UK.

And we are proud to be part of a global profession that does not discriminate. Nursing is built on compassion, respect and fairness. With an ongoing nursing workforce shortage, ethical recruitment and fair treatment of migrant nursing staff is essential to keep the UK’s health and care systems running - the contribution of migrant nursing staff to health and social care cannot be underestimated. Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and one of the reasons nursing is the most trusted profession in the UK, and in the world.

On Saturday we came together against hatred. The anti-migrant rhetoric that is being normalised is causing real division. Instances of racism and abuse are on the rise, across society. But also, towards nursing staff while we are trying to care for our patients.

Migrant nursing staff bring essential skills, experience and cultural understanding that helps us look after our diverse communities. We make a significant contribution to health and social care in the UK, yet we are often silent. But the time has come where we are left with no choice but to raise our voices - we won’t stay quiet in the face of this threat.

No health care worker should feel unsafe or unwelcome in their workplace or community. We will not surrender our hospitals, our streets or our shared dignity to those who promote division. We will defend truth with evidence, kindness with action, and democracy with our values.

The Royal College of Nursing and the nursing profession will continue to stand for dignity, safety and respect for all.

Last week, the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) recommended a 3.5% increase to the pay elements of contracts from 1 April 2026 in England. The Health secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that general practitioners and other practice staff are expected to receive a 3.5% uplift to the pay elements of the general practice (GP) contracts. The Welsh government have also confirmed 3.5% for general practice staff in Wales and the same uplift is expected for staff in Scotland. In Northern Ireland no pay award has been announced for general practice nursing staff. Learn more about how GPN pay is decided in the four countries.

We expect that pay uplift to be passed on to nursing staff employed by general practice, but that the final decision rests with employers. Thousands of nursing staff have been left waiting for pay increases from previous years. This is unacceptable.

We’re continuing to campaign for nursing voices to be included in general practice negotiations and for ring-fenced funding so nursing staff working in general practice receive the pay they deserve. I encourage all our GPN members to join upcoming events to hear more and get involved.

I also recently had the great privilege to attend the graduation ceremony for the first cohort of Myanmar nursing students to have completed a three-year undergraduate nursing degree and a one-year bridging programme. The RCN worked with local and international health leaders to develop this degree – the first of its kind developed entirely within a conflict zone. The determination of the graduates in the face of profound adversity embodies the very values we defend so fiercely. I also want to offer my thanks to those nurse leaders who worked with the RCN to shape and deliver this programme.  Their unwavering commitment to our profession is something I will carry with me as I continue as your RCN President.

We are now just over 6 weeks away from RCN Congress 2026 and preparations are well underway. I can’t wait to be back in the hall, meeting members from across the UK and discussing the most important topics facing our profession. If you haven’t already booked to attend, I urge you to do so - join us and shape the future of our profession.

That spirit of coming together to celebrate and strengthen our profession has been front and centre recently. From the Myanmar nurses’ graduation to attending our RCN Awards ceremony last week. It was a real honour to have met and spent the evening with this year’s award winners, hearing about their work both at home and internationally. You can find out more about this year’s winners here.  

The College celebrated its 110 year anniversary last week, so in addition to having the opportunity to explore our history in a bit more depth, these past few weeks have served as a reminder that our profession  was built on courage and collective action – a legacy that remains alive and well today. And one which we must draw on as we confront the challenges of the present to build a better future.