ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

Council will take their seats in the new year

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ today (Wednesday) announces the results of its Council elections for 12 posts representing different UK constituencies and health practitioner members.

The Council consists of one representative each from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and one from each of England’s nine regions. It includes a member to represent healthcare practitioners and one for students, who was elected separately earlier this month.

RCN Council provides strategic leadership and direction for the College and its Chair, Vice Chair and Honorary Treasurer will be elected in the new year from within the Council.

The full list of council members elected is:

Health Practitioner – Evan Keir [newly elected]
Northern Ireland – Ann Marie O’Neill [newly elected]
Scotland – Geoff Earl [newly elected]
Wales – Richard Jones MBE [ re-elected, elected uncontested]
East Midlands – Deirdre Sissons [newly elected]
London – Cynthia Davis [re-elected]
Northern – Trevor Peel [re-elected]
North West – Dave Dawes [re-elected]
South East – Heather Mercer [newly elected]
South West – Geoffrey Walker [newly elected]
West Midlands – Sue Warner [re-elected]
Yorkshire and the Humber – Carol Popplestone [re-elected]

Turnout rates varied from 4.8% and 8.3% in different contests. Individuals elected today will begin a one-year term of office on 1 January 2019. Elections opened on 21 November, closed on 11 December and 34 candidates stood for positions across the UK.

The Council’s remaining members are the President, Deputy President and Chair of Congress.

Professor Dame Donna Kinnair, Acting RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary, said:

“The field of candidates was exceptionally strong and the College is fortunate to attract people with such broad experience to these top roles.

“On behalf of all the staff at the College, I wish to congratulate the successful candidates and look forward to working closely with them in 2019 on the biggest challenges facing our profession. I offer my personal gratitude to members of Council whose terms of office end this month – they are a credit to nursing and our organisation.

“Above all, I wish to thank wholeheartedly Maria Trewern for chairing Council this year and steering the College through a time of great challenge and change. Any candidate who is disappointed today must know that, in whatever capacity they continue to serve the RCN and fellow members, their work is greatly appreciated.

“The nursing profession faces some of the most significant challenges in a generation and this Council will oversee the launch of fresh campaigning efforts by the RCN to attract people into nursing, arrest the decline in workforce supply and enshrine safe staffing levels in law in every part of the UK.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

For more information, please contact Daniel Sutherland, Senior Media Officer, at 020 7647 3695 or email daniel.sutherland@rcn.org.uk 

Council members have a responsibility to ensure the RCN delivers its statutory purpose as outlined in its Royal Charter and Standing Orders and that the College complies with trade union and company legislation. They are accountable for the affairs and activities of the RCN, advocate for the organisation and provide an overview and scrutiny of its activities.
No election was held in the Eastern Region. Janice Waters was elected to Council for the region in October 2018.

The full council for 2019 is:

President – Anne Marie Rafferty CBE FRCN

Deputy President – Yvonne Coghill CBE FRCN

Chair of Congress – BJ Waltho

Health Practitioner – Evan Keir
Students – Amy Fancourt 

Northern Ireland – Ann Marie O’Neill
Scotland – Geoff Earl
Wales – Richard Jones MBE [elected uncontested]

East Midlands – Deirdre Sissons
Eastern – Janice Waters
London – Cynthia Davis
Northern – Trevor Peel
North West – Dave Dawes
South East – Heather Mercer
South West – Geoffrey Walker
West Midlands – Sue Warner
Yorkshire and the Humber – Carol Popplestone