Jeremy Benton: March update from your Council member

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). It is true that there is a shortage of supply and in some cases members are working with insufficient protection. This is in part due to the failure to create adequate emergency pandemic stocks but will vary from clinical area to clinical area and the manufacture of equipment has been accelerated to meet the demand. If you have concerns that you are being asked to work in unsafe conditions, you must speak to your line manager. The RCN position on PPE is an important read. Advice and support for members is available online and is being updated regularly... if you can't find the answer there then contact RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100 I urge you to contact them if you are being asked to work in an unsafe manner. Please remember that as a registered professional you are entitled to refuse to work in any circumstances that you believe to be unsafe but that you will be answerable to the NMC for any such decision. Act on the basis of fact not emotion and ensure you have followed local policy. Document everything! As a member-led organisation we will challenge unsafe practice but in order to do so we must hear about it from members. I am also keen to hear from colleagues experiencing difficulties and my email address is Jeremy.Benton@rcn.org.uk - please email me.

Our colleagues in Guernsey decided that industrial action under the current circumstances would be inappropriate and decided to suspend any action for the foreseeable future, despite a ballot overwhelmingly in favour of a strike. Unfortunately, the talks that had held much promise failed to result in an improved offer and resulted in the employer imposing their last (rejected) offer on members. We remain in dispute and will address our position when the current health crisis is over.

There is an understandably high level of anxiety amongst colleagues at the moment, unfortunately made worse by some irresponsible and inaccurate reporting across the media. Let’s remember that we are all trained to be critical thinkers and we should apply that skill to what we hear, read and see on the news. Social media can be a hotbed of lies - and yes, I’m fully aware of the irony of writing this for social media! Interestingly, I’ve found that radio news is the least biased and most accurate, possibly because they don’t have to editorialise to fill hours of airtime. If you do see something that alarms you, check it with other sources before you believe it.

Our students have been offered the opportunity of coming into the workforce to assist in the current situation in various ways from second year onwards. The final details of how this will affect their education and how they will be remunerated for this have not been worked out. I know that RCN Students under Jessica Sainsbury are asking for adjustments to the student loans of those affected to be made. As I hear more I will keep you informed.

All RCN meetings and events have been cancelled, in line with government guidance. Council is meeting via Skype on a weekly basis and Boards are being kept updated. I have noticed comments along the lines of “What’s the RCN doing for us” - on social media, unsurprisingly. Those of us who have kept our contact details up to date on the “My RCN” section of the website are getting twice-weekly emails keeping us informed of issues and offering advice and support. If you’re not receiving yours, check that your details are current. Despite this, much of our work continues, including the Governance Review, originally due to report to Council before Congress in June. I’m expecting an update in the next formal Council meeting on April 21st and I will keep members informed. I have also requested that the subject of pay negotiations be put on the agenda for this meeting. Due to start around now, these will be delayed by current events, although as far as I’m aware we haven’t been formally contacted by government to that effect.

Finally, I have a plea: Despite the gravity of the pandemic and the upheaval and distress it is undoubtedly causing, let’s try and keep a sense of perspective and positivity. Don’t believe everything you hear and trust only statistics published by the NHS or Public Health departments. This will end and it is important that we continue, both as an organisation and as individuals, to plan for what comes afterwards. Stay safe.