Debate: Membership eligibility

The RCN currently has three membership categories: Nurse, Health Practitioner and Student members. We offer a range of different payment plans in all three categories of membership.

RCN election procedures currently require that to be eligible to stand for a governance role a member should be on a full payment plan in their category of membership.

Currently we do not have a retired membership category.

To join the RCN as a nurse member you have to be a registered nurse on the NMC register.

Currently anyone who has been on the NMC register is able to remain in full nurse membership unless struck off.

The RCN only knows when a member retires from practice if they contact us to let us know. If they do they are offered a retired membership payment plan.

However if a retired member wants to serve the RCN in a governance capacity they have the option to continue to pay a full subscription.

The NMC is clear that to maintain their professional registration nurses need to meet the requirements of revalidation.

Why therefore should the RCN as the professional body for nursing accept anything less for full membership?

We need to decide what the RCN wants from members on a full payment plan; whether retired and other members who cannot meet the needs of NMC revalidation can remain full nurse members; and whether the current restriction placed on members who are not on a full payment plan is right. 

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