Dr Peter Carter is quoted in the news article as saying: "The NHS has a duty to treat everyone as equals and provide the care we all require. However, when it comes to people with learning disabilities, today's survey clearly shows that this is just not happening. With increasing caseloads and complexity of care, alongside decreasing staffing levels, it is hardly surprising that nurses are voicing concerns about the safety and welfare of their patients. Our worry now is that in this tough economic climate, the NHS could end up forgetting people with learning disabilities". The feature article has more data on the survey, and Dr Peter Carter is quoted as saying that the findings should make the government "sit up and take notice".

The keynote speakers also continued to garner headlines. The Daily Telegraph and the BBC previewed Sir Keith Pearson’s address to Congress, and what he was expected to say about dignified care this afternoon. Meanwhile, the reaction to Ed Miliband’s speech was covered in many of the national newspapers this morning. The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Guardian were among those reporting on yesterday’s event.

One other interesting story was the BBC reporting that RCN Congress yesterday passed a motion calling for more education and awareness about the risks of children playing adult-rated games. It mentions that nurses present said some products on the market were littered with explicit references to violence, sex and drug-taking.

Many members also continue to be interviewed by the media on a wide range of issues.

This morning’s national newspapers featured extensive coverage of the speech and question and answer session by Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, yesterday lunchtime. Dr Peter Carter is quoted in the Daily Mirror, as saying: “A lot of people in this hall are feeling that out there, by some of their employers, not all, they are not being treated with dignity, they are not being listened to, and they feel they are not being respected. You’ve had a highly professional and dignified encounter with the RCN, don’t take that as a kind of indication that things are fine. There is a great deal of unhappiness”.

The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and the BBC noted that Mr Lansley yesterday conceded that posts had been lost in the NHS, as highlighted by the RCN’s Frontline First campaign.

The Guardian featured a political sketch by Michael White of the day's events at Congress, saying "The RCN is a happy family with a lovely bedside manner. But they weren't going to miss their chance. Staff cuts, privatisation ("the act does not permit it," Lansley told them), pensions ("you took £100 from my pay packet last month without my permission"), the list of grievances was a long one".

The Guardian online also carried an article on Dr Peter Carter's keynote address to Congress, focusing on the political power of the nursing profession. He is quoted as saying: "There are more than 400,000 of you. Just imagine the kind of power and influence you could have if you all spoke as one. You are the greatest challenge to the politicians of this country."

Meanwhile, today’s address by the Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband, captured further headlines for Congress. The Independent, Guardian and BBC online all carried preview pieces ahead of Mr Miliband's visit to Congress this morning. Further online coverage was then run on the Daily Mail website this afternoon following Mr Mililband’s speech.

This was the lead story on BBC Breakfast and ITV Daybreak, and a number of RCN spokespeople were interviewed on the subject, including Dr Peter Carter on the flagship Today programme on BBC Radio 4. The story also appeared in The Guardian, Independent, i, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, Sun, Daily Star, and The Times.

Dr Peter Carter is quoted as saying: “Nurses are being stretched too thin, and many are approaching breaking point. Inevitably, patient care is going to suffer.”

There has also been a lot of coverage this afternoon of the Secretary of State Andrew Lansley’s speech and Q and A at Congress. As well as Sky News and the BBC News Channel carrying the event live, both also interviewed Dr Peter Carter immediately afterwards. Dr Carter’s live interview was also the lead story on the ITV lunchtime news.

 The Independent, The Telegraph, ITV website, Guardian online  Sky newsand the BBC website all covered Mr Lansley’s visit to congress, and we expect more coverage on the visit in the morning’s papers.

Peter was interviewed by the BBC as part of their package while RCN England Director, Tom Sandford, was interviewed live on BBC Breakfast. Head of Policy and International, Howard Catton was also interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning and the BBC’s News Channel at lunchtime. Again we have several members of the BBC’s health team here with us in Harrogate, with tonight’s six o’clock news including an interview with Peter direct from Congress.

We all know the health service is facing an incredibly challenging time and the RCN will continue to speak up and voice concerns about patient safety on behalf of our members. I look forward to updating you tomorrow after the Health Secretary’s visit and on the coverage from our latest Frontline First report.

Staff in some foundation trusts in England are facing what appears to be a co-ordinated attempt to make changes to Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts, including threats to dismiss and re-engage staff on new terms and conditions if the unions do not agree to negotiate. 

Josie Irwin, RCN Head of Employment Relations, said: “All trade unions recognise that the NHS is going through an unprecedented period of change and austerity and that difficult choices have to be made.  But attacks on terms and conditions lead to poor staff morale and ultimately, this can impact on the quality of patient care.”

Read Guidance to Assist Local Staff Sides Facing Proposals to Change Pay Terms and Conditions (PDF 616KB) [see how to access PDF files].

The RCN’s Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said the College believes local pay will risk competition between trusts for staff, drive pay down in certain areas and risk lasting damage to staff morale and motivation.

He said: “The current system is tried and tested. It ensures that employers in any part of the country can recruit staff with the right skills and experience to give patients the care that they need.”

The RCN noted that the Department of Health supported a national pay bargaining framework in its PRB evidence.

Dr Carter said: “We fear that a move which could see two nurses doing the same job but with a wide disparity in their pay is likely to hit patients in those areas which do not pay appropriately.”

65,759 votes were cast in total, with a turnout of 16.17%; 41,009 members (62.36%) voted to reject the Government’s proposals, while 24,533 members (37.30%) voted to accept the proposals. The proposals that members voted on in January and February are essentially the same as those that are being voted on by other unions now.

Professor Kath McCourt, Chair of RCN Council, said at the time: “Council met today to hear the results of the member vote on NHS pensions and to consider the next steps. While the members who voted expressed a clear view, showing their anger at the government proposals, we are disappointed that more of our members did not take the opportunity to vote. We will now, as a matter of urgency, meet with other unions who are at varying stages in their own member consultations.”

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter added: “Throughout this process, our members’ number one concern about pensions has been the prospect of working in a physically demanding job until the age of 68; which is due to take effect in 2046. The Government has acknowledged the physical demands of professions such as the police, who are not facing the prospect of working until they are nearly 70. We vehemently believe the demands of nursing mean that the same should apply to our profession and we are committed to stepping up campaigning on this issue to make the Government change its mind.”

Dr Carter continued “It’s clear when I listen to nurses from around the UK, that the pressures facing them are immense; not just on the pensions issue, but also the prospect of a massive NHS reorganisation, the threat of redundancy, a pay freeze and deteriorating staffing levels. Despite all this, nurses and health care assistants continue to put the interests of their patients first. That’s why they were so dismayed when the Secretary of State for Health attributed our opposition to the Health and Social Care Bill to simple self-interest on the pensions issue. The anxieties of our members continue, and we will continue to speak up on their behalf.”

There are a number of resources you can still access on our website to inform you about the pensions offer. You can calculate what you pensions will be and what contributions you will need to make here:

http://frontlinefirst.rcn.org.uk/sites/frontlinefirst/index.php/pages/calculate-your-predicted-pension

In a joint submission to the NHS Pay Review Body, the NHS staff side has called for the retention of national pay scales. The submission warns that abandoning national pay, following on from pensions negotiations and a two-year pay freeze, will be seen as a further attack on pay, terms and conditions. The report also states that modelling public sector pay on private sector structures will be difficult, costly and inefficient, as well as replicating inequalities found in the private sector.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter said:

“The introduction of local pay will have disastrous implications for local economies and the NHS. The plans would drive down pay in certain areas and will do nothing to strengthen the local economy in these regions. It would also depress household income and decrease spending power, leading to higher unemployment.

“Agenda for Change, allied to national pay rates, provides a fair, transparent system. It means that in any part of the country, employers know they can recruit staff with the right skills and experience to give patients the care that they need. A move which could see two nurses doing the same job but with a wide disparity in their pay could seriously short change patients in those areas which do not pay appropriately.  We urge the pay review body to reject outright any calls for the introduction of a market-facing remit for NHS pay.”

The submission states that the NHS should be a model employer, providing high quality pay and reward packages and taking positive action on promoting equality.

In autumn 2011, the Chancellor called for pay review bodies to consider market-facing local pay across the public sector.

Further information -

Read the full staff side submission in NHS Pay Review Body call for evidence on market-facing pay in local areas.

We responded with a statement from RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter, who said: “It is difficult to understand how the Government believes it can hold a productive meeting on the NHS reforms without representation from the single biggest workforce in the NHS. They have continually pledged throughout this process to put clinicians in the driving seat, yet this decision would suggest an unwillingness to engage with the views of nurses."

The media’s interest in the story continued all weekend and into Monday. On Saturday, Dr Peter Carter was interviewed live on the BBC News Channel and pre-recorded an interview for Sky News that was used as part of their package on the issue. Dr Carter was also interviewed on the ITV early evening news on Sunday, where he said: “We are committed to working with the Government even though we have huge reservations about this bill. We really don't think it's a very sensible way forward to think you can have a meeting – it's been called an emergency summit – without involving many of the key organisations that are intrinsic to ensuring that the NHS is successful."

On Monday, Dr Carter appeared on the Today programme, BBC News Channel and was interviewed on the influential Sky News programme ‘Boulton and Co,’ alongside Professor Chris Ham from the King’s Fund. In the evening, Dr Carter was interviewed on Channel 4 News alongside Conservative MP, Dr Dan Poulter.  Dr Carter also wrote an opinion piece in City AM outlining why the RCN is opposed to the Health and Social Care bill.

Throughout these interviews, we told listeners and viewers of the concerns that the RCN has over the bill. These issues, which we have raised on numerous occasions, include competition, the private patient income cap and nurse involvement. We will continue to highlight these concerns as the bill continues its progress through the House of Lords.

The pensions forecaster will help members understand the Government’s complex plans which could affect members of the scheme in different ways.

The forecaster shows nursing staff how much they might pay in contributions, when they may reach normal pension age and how much they should expect to receive upon retirement, if the proposals are implemented.

All RCN members, except those who have already retired, should have received their voting papers.  If you haven't received your voting paper yet, please telephone RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100.

Find out more about the pensions vote which closes on 27 February.

Further information

For RCN members who want to see how the value of their pension may be affected should they wish to retire either before or after their normal pension age under the new proposals, go to the RCN Frontline First website.

All RCN members, apart from those already retired, are urged to use their vote, ahead of the deadline of 4pm on 27 February.

The short film above explains the three methods members can use to cast their vote: by post, by telephone or online.

In the film, Dr Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, says: "I want to encourage every member of the RCN to use your vote. If you do not use your vote, this will be a wasted opportunity so please do so."

The Government has said these are its "final" proposals.

The RCN’s governing Council will hold a special meeting on 28 February to discuss next steps in the process.

In addition to the Guardian opinion piece, Dr Carter was interviewed live on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live and on the BBC News Channel and Sky News. RCN Head of Policy and International, Howard Catton, was interviewed live on BBC Breakfast and on several radio stations across England. Dr Carter was also quoted in the Independent, the Daily Mirror, the Guardian, the Times, and  the Daily Telegraph. The Channel 4 News and ITV News websites have also covered the story.

One year ago today the Coalition Government introduced their Health and Social Care bill in the House of Commons. So over the past year the RCN has engaged with the Government on the bill; we’ve provided extensive briefings to MPs, given evidence to various committees and submitted amendments on key issues around staffing levels and HCA regulation.

We have a whole raft of concerns about the bill that have been raised on numerous occasions, including competition, the private patient income cap, nurse involvement, or lack thereof, and the absence of transparency around many of these complex issues. It is for these reasons, among others that the RCN has now moved to oppose the bill.

The RCN, which had not previously opposed the bill as a whole, has taken the decision at this point arguing that the proposals will not deliver on the principles originally set out, and that recent announcements, such as the rise in the cap on private patients being treated in NHS hospitals, make the bill in its entirety a serious threat to the NHS.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter said: "Opposing this bill is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have worked hard on behalf of all our members to influence the decisions that have been taken as the bill has gone through parliament. However, it is now clear that these ‘reforms’ are forging ahead on the ground without the concerns of nurses and other clinicians being heeded."

RCN campaign work

The RCN has sought a range of assurances and amendments to the bill but has now reached the conclusion that the reforms as they stand could have the opposite effect from that which was intended. The reforms appear to be pressing ahead locally in tandem with huge cuts to enable the NHS in England to save £20 billion by 2014.  

"The RCN has been on record as saying that withdrawing the bill would create confusion and turmoil, however, on the ground, we believe that the turmoil of proceeding with these reforms is now greater than the turmoil of stopping them," added Dr Carter. "The sheer scale of member concerns, which have been building over recent weeks, has led us to conclude that the consequences of the bill may be entirely different from the principles which were originally set out."

The RCN’s Frontline First campaign has shown that cuts of 48,000 NHS posts are being made in England alone and that patient care is undoubtedly being put in jeopardy. With this in mind, the RCN proposed an amendment to the bill which would guarantee safe staffing levels, but the Government chose not to take this proposal forward. The College’s governing Council felt that without these checks and balances, and a commitment to regulate the health care assistants who are so crucial to the delivery of care, the reforms could damage the system they were designed to improve.

Competition compromising care

"Most recently, the announcement that the cap for private income for NHS hospitals would be 49 per cent has left members with real fears that the needs of the market could come ahead of the needs of patients," Dr Carter concluded. "While we are not opposed to the principle of competition in the NHS, recent developments have shown that the balance between competition and quality has become skewed.

"While we will continue to raise the concerns of our members around all aspects of this bill, our overall view is that the bill as a whole risks damaging the NHS which our members work hard to build and to support. In combination with the financial pressures all trusts are facing, and with the rising public health challenge of the coming years, we fear the NHS is now facing a very bleak future."

Further information

Read the briefing on why the RCN is opposing the Health and Social Care Bill (PDF 283KB) [how to access PDF files].

All RCN members, apart from those who are currently retired, will receive voting papers in the week beginning January 30 2012 with the closing date for returns being 4pm on 27 February 2012.

RCN Council will then hold a special meeting on 28 February to discuss next steps in the process. The vote will be managed by external company Electoral Reform Services.

Dr Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, said:

“We would encourage all members to study their voting papers, make their choice and influence what happens next. This will enable Council to gauge the true feeling and mood of the membership so it is vital that as many members as possible take part in this critical process.”

Members will be able to vote online, by telephone or by returning their voting papers in a pre-paid envelope.

In the meantime, members can watch the latest film with Dr Peter Carter and Professor Kath McCourt here.

The announcement was made today following a meeting of RCN Council.

Professor Kath McCourt, Chair of RCN Council, said that Council members had recognised there will be no further improvement in the Government’s proposals but were aware of the depth of feeling on this issue. “It is critical that nurses and health care assistants respond to our questions, have their say and influence what happens next,” she said.

Dr Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, said: “We have repeatedly pointed out that nurses are simply asking for a fair deal for the frontline, as agreed in 2008. NHS pensions have already been reformed and nurses have accepted the need to pay more for their income in retirement. It remains a deep source of concern that nurses and health care assistants are still being asked to pay more, work longer and receive less.”

RCN members will receive full and detailed information in the coming days and weeks.

The briefing, which you can read here, includes a description of the proposals and explains the effect of the protection offered.

It also covers pensions issues for mental health officers.

The current pensions proposals apply to NHS staff in the pension scheme in England and Wales but the UK Government expects these arrangements to be mirrored in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The briefing above supports the frequently asked questions we have produced which available on the Frontline First website.

We have come to a point where we, together with the other NHS trade unions, feel that the current offer is the best that will be achieved through negotiations. The Government has now outlined its final proposals, with a number of changes to the original NHS reference scheme.

Some of the key points in the proposals are that from 2015:
- pension to build up on a career average basis at an accrual rate provisionally of 1/54th
- normal pension age to equal state pension age for service from 2015
- retention of the NHS pension scheme for staff compulsorily transferred out of the NHS.

There will be significant protections for many NHS staff. Right now, we can tell you that those reaching their normal pension age in the 10 years from April 2012 would receive full protection – effectively they will remain with their present arrangements. Anyone earning less than £26,557 in 2012/13 will see no rise in their pension contributions next year.

The Government is clear that this is their final position, so it is now up to the trade unions to take the proposals to their executives and membership.

We’ve received a huge amount of feedback from you already. No decision will be taken lightly; we know that opinion is hugely varied on next steps and that the depth of feeling on the issue is immense.

The next step is for RCN Council to meet on 10th January to discuss the plans and how best to engage with you, our members.

Thank you.

However, despite the difficulties, I firmly believe that at this time of year you have the right to celebrate your achievements and remember what incredible work you do each and every day.

Spread a little festive cheer - watch and share the 2011 RCN Christmas Card now.

As you'll see from the card, nurse-led innovations and ideas are still an important part of the Frontline First campaign.

We know that millions of pounds could be saved if your ideas were listened to and shared - this is something the RCN is passionate about and will keep campaigning for in 2012.

Meanwhile, I really do hope you can take a moment to watch our Christmas Card and share it with the people that matter to you.

Let me thank you for everything that you have done for patients in the past twelve months. I know you often don't get the recognition that you deserve, which is why it's so important that as a profession we celebrate together.

Have a very merry Christmas.

The Frontline First team

PS: 

We know that nurses on the frontline are continuing to make innovative improvements to patient care every day.

As part of the RCN’s Frontline First campaign, we would like you to continue to submit the innovations that you or your colleagues have implemented so that we can celebrate and record all the great work you are doing.

Let us know about your innovation.

Yesterday the Government announced that it wants those earning over £26,500 to increase their contributions next year in order to find the three per cent needed by the current 2008 scheme. So this isn’t directly related to the wider pensions talks – it’s about the deal made in 2008 which has always needed to find this additional three per cent. If it goes ahead this will see the pension contributions of more than two thirds of nurses increase further. However, the RCN fears these increased contributions will not go into the NHS pension scheme, but will go to the Treasury to help pay off deficits that nurses and healthcare assistants have had no part in creating.

Obviously this is completely unacceptable to the RCN and Dr Carter has been very vocal in making that point. He was quoted in the Financial Times, the Guardian, the Independent, the Sun, the Daily Express, the Times and the BBC.  He accused the Government of “divisive and provocative” behaviour and said that:  “This is nothing more than a tax on nurses, who are already in the middle of a two year pay freeze and then effectively face two more years of pay cuts after that - at a time when inflation is soaring. Having to pay an average of an extra £30 a month on top of this is a deeply unwelcome surprise Christmas present from the Government." 

Members will be showing their support for fair pensions by attending marches, demonstrations and protests during their breaks and outside work hours. RCN Chief Executive Dr Peter Carter will be visiting several events.

If current pensions negotiations fail by the end of December, the RCN's governing Council will meet in January to authorise a ballot on industrial action.

Fast actions

The RCN has also released a list of things that members can do during Day of Action if they are too busy to attend an event in person.

The list, divided according to whether members have five, ten or 30 minutes or more, includes key actions that will help spread the word on the important day.

The tools include downloading and sharing key leaflets with fellow members and the public, promoting the Day of Action on social media sites like Facebook and sharing important guidance on what members can and can't do.

Visit the fast actions page now.

Advice for members

The RCN has issued advice for members who are participating in the Day of Action.

The College is actively supporting members to take part in marches, demonstrations and protests planned for the day. But as the RCN has not balloted to take industrial action on the day itself, there are a number of important issues that members need to take into account.

“It is important that RCN members are able to support the action while keeping themselves safe,” said RCN Head of Employment Relations Josie Irwin. “Attend work as normal as failure to do so is likely to be a breach of contract and remember to report any difficulties in delivering patient care to your line manager and your RCN representative immediately.”

The RCN advises that RCN members can support the action before or after work or during planned breaks on or off work property but says that it is essential that members on the NMC register fulfil the duties placed them by the NMC Code of Conduct

Josie added: “Although you may be obliged to carry out any reasonable, contractual requirements of your employer, don’t cover the work of colleagues undertaking industrial action or join an official picket line. Your presence at workplace events must be kept separate from an official picket which much be no more than six people taking official action.”

The RCN has produced a poster to remind RCN members what they can do on the day. Download Public sector pensions – TUC Day of Action golden rules for members (PDF 104KB) [see how to access PDF files].

Members are asked to send in any photos from the Day of Action.

The TUC organised day will see events take place right across the UK, and the important guidance sets out what RCN members can and cannot do on the Day of Action.

Download the guidance now and share it with your colleagues.

Dr Carter was interviewed on BBC , ITV, BBC 5 live and Sky News. RCN Head of Policy and International, Howard Catton was also interviewed on BBC radio 5 live. In addition, Channel 4 interviewed Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, regarding the RCN’s figures.

It is only eighteen months ago that we were concerned about losing around 5,000 NHS jobs, now it is more than ten times that figure. These aren’t just cuts to ‘back office’ jobs – our detailed analysis of 41 Trusts found that almost of half of post losses were clinical, with a third being nursing jobs.

Dr Peter Carter was also quoted extensively in the Sunday papers, including The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Sunday Mirror, Sunday Telegraph, People, Independent on Sunday and Sunday Express.

Despite Government assurances, RCN members know the NHS is being targeted for deep and dangerous cuts. The RCN will persist with its Frontline First intelligence gathering to ensure that the public continues to be informed of cuts to services and that the rhetoric of protecting the NHS is matched by the reality of patient care.

In England alone, 48,029 NHS posts are set to be cut or have already been lost since we began tracking post losses through Frontline First just over a year ago.  This is a huge rise of more than 50 per cent in just  seven months and is the equivalent of closing one of the biggest hospital Trusts in the country - such as the Heart of England Foundation Trust - more than four times over.

In the worst cases, Trusts are cutting up to a quarter of their workforce. Despite Government promises to protect NHS frontline jobs, our analysis of  cuts in a sample of 41 Trusts in England shows that clinical posts make up almost half of the total workforce cuts. In many cases,  nursing posts account for more than a third of the posts earmarked to be lost. When the ‘Nicholson Challenge’ of saving £20 billion in England by 2014 was announced, we were told that these savings would be reinvested back into frontline services.  Yet, more than year and half into the process, there is still no evidence that this is happening.

The RCN will continue to use the information that you submit through Frontline First to hold employers and the Government to account. If you know of cuts to jobs and services where you work, tell us about them today

Over the past few weeks, we’ve received a huge amount of feedback from members telling us what they think on the issue. There have been a significant number of members who feel that the RCN should ballot on industrial action, and we have listened to these concerns. Similarly, there have been members who have expressed genuine anxiety about industrial action, and were keen for us to continue negotiations with the Government.

Following many hours of discussion, we are now able to share with you what was decided today.

RCN Council unanimously decided that they will authorise a ballot on industrial action in January, if negotiations fail by the end of December. 

Council decided that members' serious concerns over the proposals must be addressed in a credible way through negotiations – so we will continue to work to influence the proposals, making them fairer for all members, not just those retiring in the next ten years.

It’s important to note that these negotiations won’t take months, they’ll take place over the next few weeks – so things are moving very quickly.

Council did not take these decisions lightly and they are some of the strongest ever taken by the RCN.

We have already begun active preparations for a ballot and these will continue in earnest. We will also still be helping our members to show their support for the Day of Action on the 30th November.

If you haven’t yet registered your interest to take part in events on the Day of Action, do it now. 

We will, of course, update you in due course.

Thank you,

Dr Peter Carter - Chief Executive & General Secretary

Prof Kath McCourt - Chair of RCN Council

You can also get hold of more pensions resources, including posters and briefings.

You can register your interest to find out where your nearest events on the 30 November, the Day of Action, will be taking place.

And you can calculate how much the government's proposals will cost you.

I wanted to write to you, as our online community, to address some of the concerns that a number of you have raised on the issue of your pensions, and more specifically, what the RCN is doing to fight for them.

As Chair of Council, I lead the governing body that made the key decisions on Friday 30 September. It was at this meeting that RCN Council decided that the RCN would support the Day of Action on the 30 November – even though we are not a member of the TUC.

Our second decision was that a ballot for industrial action was ‘inevitable’ if the negotiations (which are currently due to end very soon) do not produce results.

I understand that our decision to wait out the current negotiations has frustrated some of you who feel we should be balloting alongside other unions.

I need to make one point really clear though – we get one chance to get this right.  Council’s view was that we should ballot when we have the best chance to win the fight and that was if the negotiations fail. Right now, the RCN is actively preparing to ballot our members – if negotiations fail, you will be balloted.

As Council, we were elected by you – we’re members , just like you and we want to protect NHS pensions, just like you. We understand how angry you are, because we’re angry too.

Let’s stand together, united, as one voice.

Whilst Council are awaiting the outcome of negotiations on your pensions (due at the end of October), they have decided to actively support our colleagues in a Day of Action.

This means that on 30 November, RCN members will be present at events across the UK - and we want you to join us in (region/country).

Sign up now to register your interest

 We know that some of your colleagues in other trade unions will be taking industrial action on the Day of Action during their working hours. The RCN is not taking industrial action on November 30th; we are however asking members to show support for the protest by joining demonstrations, events and rallies before or after your working day, on your lunch break or if you are not on duty that day.

 We're here to help to make sure that neither your rights, nor patient care are compromised by supporting the Day of Action.

 Events will be confirmed in the comings weeks so sign up now to register your interest in RCN supported activity.

 I hope you'll join me in fighting for a fair deal for nurses on the frontline in (region/country) and across the UK.

You can find out all about the pensions issue with our latest member briefing, download it now.

RCN Council agreed to support colleagues in the day of action on 30 November though Council did not decide to ballot immediately on industrial action. The RCN will now campaign to communicate the seriousness of the proposals and ensure that the RCN is ready to ballot as and when needed.

Sandra James, Chair of RCN Council, said: "Council members have heard from thousands of nursing staff from across the UK, and are aware that anger levels are rising as nurses are hit from all sides. Not only are they dealing with rising living costs, a pay freeze and attacks on their pensions, but they are also dealing with a situation where they are overstretched and very worried about patient care. Council has also decided to support action on 30 November as an important opportunity to make our voices heard."

 She added: "Balloting on industrial action is inevitable if negotiations with the Government don’t provide a fair outcome for our members. RCN members will also be asked to support colleagues on the 30th by joining protests, demonstrations, joint events and rallies or engagement with patient groups. The RCN is now gearing up to get a ballot process ready if needed over the coming weeks as talks progress."

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the RCN, said: "Nurses and health care assistants are the lifeblood of the NHS, and they are angry. Their pensions have already been reformed, and are far from generous. Targeting them now is unjust and unnecessary. The average woman with an NHS pension takes home less than £4,000 a year – not exactly gold plated. Council has decided that the RCN will support colleagues on 30 November to express their anger. The RCN will be ready to ballot if this anger is not heard as we approach the end of the negotiations."

In light of this, and the UK Government's failure to meaningfully engage in the ongoing negotiations, we want to know what direction you feel the RCN should now take. The RCN has always been, and will always be, an organisation that is led by its members – your opinion is hugely important to us.

Tell us what you think the RCN should do next.

The RCN has taken the significant step of calling a Special Meeting of your Council at the end of this month, where we will decide what the RCN will do next.

What you tell us will be read and considered by Council members and will impact on the discussions around this critically important issue. Please rest assured that no decision will be taken without proper thought and consideration.

Tell us what you think should happen next.

A short while ago we asked you to tell us about how the pension changes could affect you. One member from the South East said:

“At 55 I do not relish the thought of continuing my nursing career until I am 66/67. Changes can be seen constantly in the physical and mental demands of the job, as nurses are constantly expected to take on more roles and more responsibility. I am a widow and am the legal guardian for my 13 year old grandchild with rent and bills to pay. I cannot afford to give up work and have no pension.”

I know that many of you will have very strong opinions on your pensions and the proposed changes, but instead of assuming what you think, we wanted to ask you directly.