We Care
Valuing our health care support workers
Welcome to the RCN Scotland We Care page, specifically for nursing support workers (NSWs). Our We Care campaign shines a light on the outstanding contribution of NSWs.
In the RCN, we use the term NSW to describe all health care support workers, care assistants, health care assistants and many others working in similar roles in nursing and social care.
The RCN is committed to demonstrating the value that NSWs bring and ensuring that they are adequately supported. On this page, you will find detail of the resources and support we offer NSWs and what we mean when we say 'We Care'.
We are celebrating Nursing Support Workers' Day for the third year
Join us on 23 November to help us shine a spotlight on your work as a nursing support worker, or the contribution of a nursing support worker you know to nursing, health and social care and patients across the UK.
HCAs, APs, NAs and TNAs
Join today
- Complete our online form
- Call 0345 772 6100
- Post us a membership form
Spotlight on nursing support workers
We Care Bite-size guides
Our new series of bite-sized videos are designed to make learning accessible and convenient. These are suitable for all NSWs working in Scotland.
Watch our launch video with Lorraine McLaughlan, Scotland member of NSW Committee, who will tell you more about these guides.
Each video is around 15 minutes long and we cover a range of topics including raising and escalating concerns, record keeping, five benefits of RCN libraries, evalutating information online, accountability and delegation, and what a national care service might mean for you.
We welcome your feedback and do let us know if there’s any topics that you’d like a guide on by emailing jennifer.underwood@rcn.org.uk
Accountability and delegation
Evaluating information online
Raising and escalating concerns
A National Care Service
Record keeping
Five benefits of RCN libraries
We Care online webinars
NSW Facebook group
Join our Facebook group for NSW members working in Scotland.
Here you can share ideas with other NSWs and stay up to date with new RCN Scotland developments. Visit facebook to request to join.
RCN Library
Did you know the RCN Library has lots of books, journals and other resources specifically for NSWs? Our Information Specialists are on hand to help you find good quality information to support your practice. They can also run training sessions to help equip you with the skills to effectively search for online information.
- Visit the library pages
- Phone: 0131 662 6163
- Email: scotland.library@rcn.org.uk
Bespoke learning
You can contact us on LDScotEvents@rcn.org.uk to discuss your requirements.
RCN First Steps
Our We Care campaign
Valuing our health care support workers
The RCN interviewed health care support workers working in different settings across Scotland to find out what they do and just why they find their role so rewarding.
Hear health care support workers describe in their own words just what it means to them to make such a valuable contribution to health and social care in Scotland's communities.
Nursing beyond nurses
The delivery of health care across Scotland is changing.
More care is being provided outside of hospitals, to be delivered in people's homes or as close to their home as possible.
Health care support workers play a pivotal role in delivering this vision - find out more in this short film celebrating the role of HCWSs.
Since then, our We Care brand and approach to supporting NSW members has been embedded in the work of RCN Scotland. Across the pandemic, NSWs have continued to demonstrate that they are at the forefront of patient care and we are committed supporting NSW and ensuring your role is recognised.
We are dedicated to supporting NSWs learning and development and have delivered a range of face to face and online resources under the We Care branding. We are always looking for new ways to support you and welcome any feedback you have. Please contact our HCSW Development Officer Jennifer Underwood-Mackie in the first instance to discuss this.
We are grateful to have sponsorship from LV= who are as passionate as we are about NSWs learning and development. They have sponsored many of our workplace events, including visits to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles and have supported our online resources during the pandemic. Find out more about LV= and the range of services they can offer RCN members.
Page last updated - 12/04/2023
