RCN

UK National Forum

Steering Committee

Election Pack: 2008

Elections for the

Complementary Therapies in Nursing Forum

Prison Nurses Forum

Information and Guidance on Becoming a

UKNational Forum Steering Committee Member



2008UK NATIONAL FORUM STEERING COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE NOTES

What Are The UK National Forums?

The RCN has a range of specialist nursing groups within its membership called UK national forums (list attached at Page 5).

The Purpose Of The National Forums Is To:

  • provide an expert resource to Council and to the RCN membership
  • develop policy relating to their particular field of nursing
  • provide an opportunity for RCN members in their particular field of nursing to meet together
  • provide a focus for members to participate in professional activities
  • be a professional attraction to encourage nurses to join the RCN.

How Are The Forums Run?

The national forums are run by an elected steering committee of seven people. The steering committee should have a good geographical spread of members, so we would encourage members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to nominate themselves. Travelling expenses are paid.

We also particularly welcome nominations from members from black and minority ethnic communities, as they are under-represented among forum leaders.

The Steering Committees Are Responsible For:

  • contributing to the development of policy relating to the group's particular field of nursing
  • representing the views of members of the group
  • devising anoperational plan (with RCN staff) to fulfil the purposes of the forum.

The steering committee is given financial support for its work, and support from a range of RCN staff, particularly specialist advisers from the RCN Professional Nursing Department (PND), Membership Co-ordinator and Events organisers.

What Are The Benefits Of Being On ASteering Committee?

If you are elected a member of one of the UK steering committees you will have the opportunity to:

  • contribute to the creation of RCN policy
  • influence the nursing agenda, both within and beyond the RCN
  • make a difference in your field of nursing
  • attend RCN Congress and other important conferences, if you are chosen to represent your forum group
  • develop yourself with learning opportunities, increased information, networking, committee work and lobbying work
  • enhance your career by developing your knowledge and your leadership skills in your field of nursing.

What Does Being On ASteering Committee Involve?

As a steering committee member you will be involved in a range of activities:

  • Attending meetings. Currently the commitment is two meetings and one teleconference. Travelling expenses and necessary childcare costs are paid by the RCN.
  • Participate in policy work - again groups vary, but some work is done at meetings or with telephone conferencing, and sometimes supplementary working groups are set up.
  • Link in with the RCN structures locally - for example, RCN branches, UK boards and with local staff.
  • You may be asked to attend the forum’s conference.
  • Contribute to the forum’s newsletter and online community.
  • Take on responsibility within the group. There are a variety of jobs which need doing in every forum; for example, editing the newsletter, editing the online community, representing the forum and the RCNin relation to other organisations or liaising with them, commenting on policy documents, planning conferences, co-ordinating local link members, researching support information for submission of items for RCN Congress.

Are You Eligible For Election?

You will need to be sure you are able to commit the necessary time and effort to be an effective group member, given the demands of your own work and family life. On the nomination form you are asked to confirm that you have the support of your employer to stand for election as a member of a Forum Steering Committee.

You will also have to be sure that you are eligible to be on the steering committee under the RCN’s national (UK) forum constitution. In other words:

  • you should be a member of the relevant forum - any RCN member can join a forum by ringing RCN Direct on 0845 772 6100
  • you cannot hold office in any other UK nursing membership organisation or a UK health service trade union (you can be a member of such organisations, but not hold office)
  • you cannot hold office at national level in the RCN, which means you cannot be on more than one RCN steering committee, Council, Agenda Committee or UK national stewards or safety representatives committees
  • you cannot serve for more than eight consecutive years on any steering committee in any capacity. If on Wednesday 1st October 2008 you have served for eight years, whether you were elected or appointed, you must stand down for two years before you can be nominated again for that or any other steering committee.

Steering Committee Members – Term of Office

The term of office for members of the steering committee is four years. No member may serve on the steering committee for longer than eight years. After eight years service, a member must stand down for two years before serving on any national (UK) forum steering group again.

The Election Timetable – 2008

Call for nominations - Will be advertised in Bulletin and on the website / Monday 9thJune 2008
Closing date for nominations to be returned to Pat Stroud at the RCN. If there are more nominations than places, then an election will be held. / No later than 4.30pm on Friday 25thJuly 2008
Ballot forms to be sent out to members to vote / By Friday 22nd August 2008
Ballot forms MUST be returned (I have taken this out in case there is only an election for Prison Nurses, in which case it would be possible to do the mailing and counting in-house) / by noonMonday 22nd September 2008
Results announced and candidates informed by 1st class post / By Tuesday 23rd September 2008

FORUM LIST (Updated July 2007)

Acute Intervention
Emergency Care Association
Ophthalmic Nursing Forum
Outpatients Nurses Forum
Critical Care Nursing Forum
ENT/Maxillofacial Nursing Forum
Imaging Nurses Forum
Society of Orthopaedic & TraumaNursing
Perioperative Nursing Forum
In-Flight Nurses
Gastroenterology and Stomacare Forum
IV Therapy Forum
Defence Nursing Forum
Management and leadership:
Independent Nurse Managers (INFORM)
Nursing and Care Agency Managers
Nurses in Executive and Strategic Roles
Nurses Managing Hospice/Specialist Palliative Care
Nurses in Operational Management
Nurses in Regulation
Occupational Health Managers Forum
Childrens’ Leadership and Management Forum
Nurses in Aesthetic Medicine Forum
People Diagnosed with Cancer
Cancer Forum
Women’s Health Field of Practice
Gynaecology Nursing Forum
Fertility Nursing Forum
Education:
Education Forum
Vocational Qualifications Forum
History of Nursing Society
Association of Nursing Students (ANS)
Primary Care Educators Forum
Nursing Therapeutics:
Complementary Therapies in Nursing Forum
Pain Forum
Palliative Nursing Group
Rehabilitation Nurses Forum
Research and Informatics & Quality
Research Society
Information in Nursing Group (IN)
Ethics – Forum / Working Environment
Society of Occupational Health Nursing
Children and Young People:
Paediatric & Neonatal and Intensive Care
Adolescent Health Forum
Community Children’s Nursing Forum
Paediatric Oncology Nurses Forum
Childrens Surgical Nurses Forum
Children & Young People Mental Health
Paediatric Ambulatory Care Forum
General Childrens Nursing Forum
Safeguarding Children & Young People Forum
School Nurses Forum
Mental Health:
Mental Health Forum
Mental Health Practice Forum
Forensic Nursing Forum
Learning Disabilities Field of Practice
Learning Disabilities Forum
Older People:
Forum for Nurses working with Older People
Mental Health and Older People Forum
Midwifery Field of Practice
Midwifery Society
Primary Care and Public health:
Practice Nurses Association
Nurse Practitioner Association
District Nurses Forum
Health Visitors and Public Health Forum
Discharge Planning & Continuing Health CareForum
Prison Nurses Forum
Continence Care
Travel Health Forum
Tuberculosis Nurses Forum
Diabetes Nursing Forum
Sexual Health Forum
Clinincal & Supportive Care
Blood Transfusion Nursing Forum
Breast Care Nursing Society
Dermatology Nurses Forum
Haematology & Bone Marrow Transplant Nursing Forum
Haemophilia Nurses Association
Respiratory Nurses Forum
Rheumatology Nursing Forum
Nephrology Nursing Forum
Neurosciences Forum

GUIDANCE FOR COMPLETING THE NOMINATION FORM

You've Decided To Stand For Election - Now What?

Please send a completed nomination form to Pat Stroud, Legal Services Department at the RCN, 20 Cavendish Square, LondonW1G 0RN

Going Through That Form:

1.Fill in the relevantforum name on your form (this should be either Complementary Therapies Nursing Forum or Prison Nurses Forum):

  • you must put the correct title of the forum - if it is not as it appears on the attached list, your nomination will be invalid.
  • you must be a member of that forum.

2.Fill in your name, home address, telephone numbers, and RCN number

3.Complete the section about your qualifications and your current post/work - remember:

  • the information will be sent to the electorate with the ballot form

4.Complete the section about your previous/current service on any RCN national (UK) forum committee/policy and practice group, remember:

  • this information will be used to establish your eligibility for election

5.Read all the declaration carefully and remember:

  • your election may be declared invalid if it is later found that the information you gave on this form was incorrect

6.Sign and date the form

7.Write your election manifesto of up to 250 words - this statement will be sent out to theelectorate with the ballot form to help members make a choice between you and the other candidate(s) - remember:-

8.Take and keep a photocopy of your form and your statement

9.Send your signed form and your statement to Pat Stroud, Legal Services Department, Royal College of Nursing,20 Cavendish Square, LondonW1M OAB to arrive no later than 4.30pmon Friday 25thJuly 2008 - remember:

  • nominations will NOT be accepted after 4.30pm on Friday25thJuly 2008
  • facsimiles will NOT be accepted.
  • your nomination will be acknowledged

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