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Voting opens in RCN president and deputy president elections

College members can watch the candidate hustings online
RCN voting

College members can watch candidate hustings online


The RCN poll closes on 14 November. Picture: iStock

Voting has opened for RCN members to decide the college’s next president and deputy president.

Ballot papers for the postal-only election were sent out yesterday for the selection process, which concludes on 14 November.

All college members are eligible to vote on who will become the public faces of the RCN for the next two years.

A hustings took place at RCN headquarters in London on 9 October where 60 people got the chance to put questions to the 11 candidates.

The six bidding to become president and the five aiming to secure the deputy president role were given three minutes at the start to set out their credentials.

The candidates

The six people standing for president are:

  • Sue Hill
  • Celia Manson
  • Marion Mason
  • Anne Marie Rafferty
  • Robert Sowney
  • Rod Thomson

The five deputy president candidates are:

  • Liz Brasnett
  • Yvonne Coghill
  • Paul Watson
  • Jeni Watts
  • Sue Woodward

The proceedings were streamed live, watched by 120 people, and a recording is now available to members to watch on the RCN website.

Members' concerns

Questions included how they would address issues facing nursing students and claims of apathy among the membership, as well as how they assessed the work of the RCN forums.

The winner will replace Cecilia Akrisie Anim who is completing a second term as president.

The deputy president candidates were asked how they would champion private and independent sector nurses, their views on the use of social media, and their thoughts on changes to pre-registration nurse education.

Former RCN president Maura Buchanan chaired the hustings and said it was an ‘excellent innovation’.

She added: ‘The discussion certainly shone a light on the candidates and their ability to respond to the issues raised by members.’

The successful candidates for both roles will be informed the day after voting closes and officially announced on 16 November.

Watch the election hustings here


Related material

Details of all candidates are available here


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